


Lost Girl

by levi_ackerwoman



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Chiss, F/M, Fluff, Includes Hera Syndulla/Kanan Jarrus, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Jedi, Memory Loss, Mild Sexual Content, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, The Force, shy characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-20 01:59:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 121,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11326314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/levi_ackerwoman/pseuds/levi_ackerwoman
Summary: One month after the Battle of Batonn, Thrawn is promoted to Grand Admiral, and his former aide, Eli Vanto, leaves. Missing the days when he had someone to teach in the art of battle, he decides to take a new Officer's Aide under his wing. He chooses Elena Rizzo, a cunning young woman with a mysterious past. The two soon find themselves in a forbidden attraction neither of them were prepared for.But despite their passion for one another, both Thrawn and Elena each have their own secret agendas. Can Thrawn trust Elena with a secret that could get him executed for treason? Can Elena trust Thrawn to help her regain her lost childhood memories, no matter how much danger they could put her in?





	1. Graduation

             

                 After three brutal years at Royal Imperial Academy, Elena Rizzo finally stood on stage with the rest of her fellow cadets in graduation robes. The academy’s grand auditorium buzzed with the crowd’s chatter as the graduates filed into order. She let out a breath, finally enjoying a moment of peace and reflection of her accomplishments.

                “At last,” Janali Raina said, “We’re done with the academy. Forever.”

                “Thank the stars,” Elena replied, “No more homework, no more tests, and no more creepy commandants.”

                “Just creepy high command now,” Janali laughed. Elena and Janali met during their first year and were always next to each other in alphabetical lines, which helped their friendship quickly sprout into the inseparable bond they had today. However, with graduation and first assignment orders, they knew they might be split up. The idea frightened Elena, who--as the shy one-- always relied on Janali’s bubbly personality to keep her sane in social situations.  

                “Hey, I’m sure we’ll see each other again,” Janali said, quickly noticing Elena’s worry. “And if we do get different assignments, we can always comm each other when we have time.”

                “You’re right,” Elena replied, “it will just be weird without you there.” Tears started to speckle her eyes.

                “Please don’t cry, Elle! This is supposed to be a happy day. I’ll be upset too, but you can comm me whenever you want.” Janali smiled a bit as Elena’s worry abated. “I’m so proud of you, Elle. You’re the only girl to graduate in the top twenty this year.”

                Elena beamed. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Jan.”

                “And I couldn’t have scraped by without you nagging me 24/7,” Janali said while playfully elbowing her friend. She looked out into the crowd and suddenly became worried. “Elena? You don’t think that those goofy hats the lieutenants wear will be…mandatory? Do you?” She subtly pointed at a young lieutenant in the audience.

                “Don’t worry, I think they’re optional,” Elena laughed.

                “Good,” Janali sighed with relief. “Honestly, how do you see out of them? The brim covers your eyes.” The two girls watched as the same lieutenant bumped into an older, aristocratic woman, spilling her drink. They covered their mouths to stifle their laughter. Just then, the academy’s alma mater began playing.

                “I guess it’s time,” Janali said. “Let’s meet up after the ceremony to get out first assignments.”

                “Sounds good,” Elena said.

~ ▪ ~

                “I’m glad we got here early,” Elena said. The two young women were at the front of the line awaiting their first assignments. Looking behind her at her former classmates, Elena couldn’t help but feel old. The ages of most graduates from any Imperial Academy were nineteen and twenty. Elena was twenty-five. It wasn’t uncommon for someone older to attend the academies, but that didn’t help her shake the feeling that she was an outsider. Like her age, her poverty also made her feel out of place. She was among some of the wealthiest people in the galaxy, including Janali and her parents. With no memory of her childhood or early teenage years, she had spent the years she could remember in an orphanage. Once she turned eighteen, she lived in the slums of Coruscant until she was admitted to Royal Imperial. But despite escaping her past and excelling at the academy, she still felt like a very small mouse surrounded by the fat cats of the Core. She put on a brave face though, because the past no longer mattered. She was still at the top of her class and more than likely to receive a highly coveted assignment.

                “Elle! I’m a second lieutenant on the _Blood Hawk_!” Janali’s excitement jolted Elena out of her thoughts.

                “Congratulations, Jan! See, you did way better than you thought you would.”

                “I know! I’m surprised though. I wasn’t always the best student..,” Janali chuckled.

                “I guess it’s my turn now,” Elena mumbled nervously. She stepped up to the datapad and inserted her datacard. “I’m a first lieutenant…” her eyes widened, “on the _Chimaera_.”

                “Woah,” Janali said as the two walked away from the line. “Your career is already off to a great start, Elle. In fact- just a little gossip I’ve heard- people say that Grand Admiral Thrawn himself hand-picked his top recruits this year.”

                Excitement started to overtake her. “You think so?” Elena asked. The newly promoted Grand Admiral had recently been a popular topic of discussion due to his victory at Batonn. Elena admired his tactical genius and brilliance. Battle strategy and tactics were her favorite subjects, and now she would be working for the best the Empire had to offer. However, despite his genius, the higher-ups of the core worlds had very mixed views of him; but Elena knew it all had to do with him being non-human. Maybe that was why she admired him so much. Like her, he too was an outsider.

                “You’ll have to tell me all about your new job next time we talk,” Janali said. “Let’s go find my parents. We’re going to dine at The Pinnacle in a few hours to celebrate, and you’re of course invited.”

                “I can’t wait!” Elena said. The _Chimaera_. She couldn’t believe it. What would working with Thrawn be like, she wondered.

~ ▪ ~

                Grand Admiral Thrawn sat in his office reading one final report for the day. Only a month had passed since his promotion to grand admiral, and he was already faced with a big project. After Batonn, Governor Pryce made a proposal to him: his help with crushing the rebel activities on Lothal in exchange for her political guidance, which he most desperately needed. Despite his genius in the art of battle and deduction, he struggled with the absurdity that was intergalactic politics. He had accepted her proposal a little over a week ago. With only two weeks until his transfer to the Seventh Fleet, he and Pryce decided to wait until after the transfer before she would ask Grand Moff Tarkin for permission to utilize Thrawn and his resources. Thrawn, however, did not wait to begin his investigation of the rebels. His office was filled with holographs of the _Ghost_ crew’s biographies, home world information, and, more importantly, their home worlds’ artwork. Throughout his career with the Imperial Navy, art remained his most valuable deduction tool. The style of lines, colors, and textures translated to him his enemies’ tactics and thought processes.

                Although he had learned much about the rebels during the first month, there was still the matter of waiting until his transfer. With more free time on his hands, he allowed himself to study his first ever set of new recruits once he deemed his research of the rebels sufficient for the day. Ever since Eli Vanto, his aide and mentee, left he had taken more of an interest in his new recruits. He conceded that he missed being a mentor, and decided to teach another in the ways of his tactics and strategy. That new mentee, he had concluded, would be the newly appointed Lieutenant Rizzo. Shortly after Eli’s departure, Thrawn asked Emperor Palpatine if he may observe the records of RIA’s top students. He noticed that Rizzo was at the top of her class in strategy and battle tactics. Her papers and simulations of different battle scenarios were superb. He also noted her other glowing achievements as well.

                And now that she and his other recruits were officially in his database, he could finally put a name to a face. But what he did not expect was how captivating that face would be. Though she was twenty-five (only a bit younger than he) she appeared twenty. Her large, blue eyes and reddish-brown hair were striking, but what caught his eye was her closed-mouth, coy smile. She was very beautiful, he couldn’t help thinking. As his only new female recruit, he would need to watch out for her. Being a minority in the Navy himself, he noticed how much more difficult it was for women. Most officers did not treat their female subordinates with the same respect and equality as Thrawn showed his. As his new recruit and protégé, her safety would now be one of his main concerns.


	2. Officer's Aide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena arrives on board of Thrawn's ship, but not without making an enemy first. Thrawn finds that his thoughts keep returning to his new aide, but he tries to ignore them by focusing on a newly discovered rebel threat.

                “A Chiss?” one of the _Chimaera’s_ new recruits asked. “I thought he was a Pantoran.”

                “No, he’s a Chiss. My roommate said so. In fact, the Grand Admiral went to Royal Imperial.”

                Elena sat across from three male recruits who had started a dimwitted conversation about the Grand Admiral. They had left for the _Chimaera_ aboard a transport ship bright and early the morning after graduation.

                She was painfully nervous about her first assignment. While most of her fellow crewman had already received the details of their jobs, she still only knew of her rank as a lieutenant. Maybe she would find out the details once on board?

                “What even is a Chiss?” one of the recruits asked the other two.

                “Some alien species,” another answered. “There’s no information about them, so I guess he popped out of the Unknown Regions some time ago.” He began to lower his voice, but Elena could still hear him when he said, “Can’t say I’m too happy that my boss is some non-human, but we all have to start somewhere I guess.”

                Elena grimaced. It was the one thing she could not understand about these Core worlds—the blatant racism humans had towards non-humans. She saw it in her orphanage on Coruscant whenever prospective parents made no effort to hide their haughty distaste for the non-human children. She saw it in Coruscant’s slums in the form of derogatory name-calling and profiling. She wanted to say something back to the guy, but she could not conjure up the bravery to do so.

                “Hey girly, what’s your problem?” Elena looked up and realized they were addressing her. She also realized that she had unknowingly been glaring near their direction.

                “I don’t have a problem,” she mumbled.

                “Huh?” one of the cadets put a hand to his ear. “Speak up. You’re not going to make it in the Navy if no one can hear you, girly.” The boys laughed and were soon joined by a few others sitting close by. Elena’s face turned bright red. What was more embarrassing was that this child was probably five or six years younger than her. She wished very much that Janali was still with her. She would know how to deal with these pigs.

                Just then, her datapad pinged with an update regarding her assignment. She quickly accessed her file and saw that her long-awaited assignment details had arrived. She had to read it twice before it sunk in:

 

**Assigned Ship: ISD Chimaera**

**Rank: First Lieutenant**

_Special Assignment: Officer Aide to Grand Admiral Thrawn_

 

                Officer aide to Grand Admiral Thrawn. Her heart leapt.

                “So, what do they have you doing, _Lieutenant_? Scrubbing the floors? Making us food?” one of the three cadets asked. Her anger was growing, but she kept it at bay. She noticed his two-squared Ensign rank plate, and had an idea.

                “You know, _Ensign_ ,” emphasizing his lower rank, “you should really be careful who you talk to,” fear started to creep into her voice. “You have no idea who I might be working with, and whether or not they have the power to change your career for the worst.” She was shaking and knew her eyes were betraying just how uncomfortable she was.

                His face red at the mention of his low rank, he retorted, “Oh yeah? And _who_ exactly _are_ you working with who can ruin my career?”

                She looked back down at the name, knowing better than to reveal all her cards. Still shaking from the unwanted attention, she squeaked, “Keep harassing me and find out.”

                “Ohhhh!” a few surrounding recruits teased, smiles and laughter playing on their faces. She couldn’t tell if they were mocking her or were impressed by her remark. Probably mocking her, she thought.

                “Hey! Settle down back there,” barked a Stormtrooper at the front of the room.

                The Ensign glared back at her, but before he could argue further, the overhead intercom announced their arrival.

                Elena felt the pull of the Chimaera’s tractor beam as she and the other recruits walked to the ship’s hatch. Not even aboard her assigned ship yet, and she had already made an enemy. Great…

~ ▪ ~

                Thrawn stood in the Chimaera’s main hangar bay and watched the new recruits line up. Some of his captains and commanders stood beside him. As his first batch of new recruits, he wanted to greet them personally.

                Once the fifty-or-so recruits stood in attention, he stepped forward. “On behalf of the Ninety-Sixth Task Force, welcome aboard my flagship, the _Chimaera_. I am Grand Admiral Thrawn.” He began walking in front of the first line, making eye-contact as he passed each recruit. “As you are new recruits, I wanted to inform you all that we will be reassigned to the Seventh Fleet in a mere two weeks. This transfer will not affect any of your placements, but is only meant to be beneficial to us in regards to our new assignment--conducting an investigation of rebel activity in this sector of the galaxy. And each and every one of us will work in tandem to bring these rebels to justice.” He noticed the little bits of fear he had instilled in each recruit as he passed by. He knew his red eyes were unsettling for some, but they made it so much easier for him to intimidate. And a little intimidation, as he had learned, was a good thing. “Today, you will accompany your respective commanding officers on a brief tour of your assigned sections. Afterwards, you will be given a one hour respite to find your quarters and unpack.” Just as he reached the end of the line, he saw her. Lieutenant Rizzo stood in the second line, attentive to his speech but notably exhausted. “After you unpack, you will have two hours to dine, after which you will receive your first orders. Lights out and nightshift hours begin at 2200 hours.” Once he finished his speech, he nodded to one of his captains.

                “Everyone assigned to weapons supplies, follow me,” the captain said.

~ ▪ ~

                After all the groups broke off, Elena found herself standing among only four other recruits. She started to panic internally. Maybe she had misheard one of the officers? But that was impossible, she listened to all the groups’ names, and not one of them included the words “officer” or “aide” or even “special assignment.”

                The Grand Admiral stepped forward. “If you are still here, that means you have been given a unique assignment and will be working in the upper half of the ship, near the bridge and the officer’s quarters.” He looked around at each of them, and his eyes rested on her for a few minutes. She kept her face as impassive as she could, but she could feel a blush creeping up and her heart beat with fear and nervousness. She didn’t realize he would make her this nervous; nevertheless, she found him intriguing. His face, regal and blue-skinned, as well as his stance radiated confidence. His voice was alluring, almost seductive. She could listen to it all day.

                “I do apologize,” he began, “but there is an officers meeting this evening that requires my attendance,” even as he addressed them all, those red eyes always seemed to make their way back to her. “I will leave the five of you with Lieutenant Lyste, who will give you a tour of the bridge tower. I will officially meet you all tomorrow. Lieutenant?”

                A young man with dark hair stepped forward. “Yes, sir, Grand Admiral,” he said a little too eagerly.

                “Thank you, Lieutenant. Dismissed,” he said. The blast door closed behind him as he left the hangar.

~ ▪ ~

                Though he was able to give the meeting his full attention, Thrawn could not control when his thoughts decided to revert back to the terrified young woman who would be his aide. He felt such genuine disappointment that he would have to wait until tomorrow to meet her. But why?

                He had not experienced such feelings and thoughts since his time on his home world, Csilla. There had been a few Chiss women in his past, but he could so easily dismiss the thought of something more with them due to his former position in their military. Was he even certain that was what he was feeling towards this young woman? Yes, she was very beautiful, for a human. He had never had such thoughts about humans before. Maybe it was just sheer curiosity of the person who would take Eli’s place by his side? Her large, blue eyes and russet hair continued to plague his mind. That coy smile from her photograph resurfacing again. He would worry with his thoughts later; this meeting was far more important.

                “...but after a few messy skirmishes, we were able to pinpoint the coordinates of the hyperspace lanes used by the rebels,” one of his commanders said.

                “Excellent, Commander. Were my assumptions about the hyperspace lanes proximity to Lothal correct?” Thrawn asked.

                “Yes, sir,” the commander said, impressed. “What should be our next plan of attack?”

                “No attack quite yet, Commander. I will require further study of these hyperspace locations. As you can see,” he pointed out on the holomap, “these lanes appear to lead out of the Outer Rim and into, what I believe, the Unknown Regions.”

                His officers had their full attention on him, eyes wide with surprise. “Then we may not be able to track them,” the commander said.

                “Not necessarily, Commander,” Thrawn said. “You forget that I have extensive knowledge of the Unknown Regions. Once I deduce which sector of space they may be hiding in, we will then proceed with narrowing down our search, planet by planet.”

                “Excellent, Grand Admiral.”

                “Thank you, Commander. Until then, you are all dismissed.”

                As he made his way back to his office, his thoughts wandered back to his aide. He wondered with how insightful she will be, and if she would be teachable. For her sake, he hoped so. Choosing her had been a bit of a gamble. Though she was excellent in the classroom, would she display that same amount of aptitude in the field? He had decided before that if she was not the best fit, he could easily have her reassigned. However, he found that he did not like that idea. He wanted her to stay…but why? Those irrational thoughts started badgering him again.

                He decided to drop the issue. If it was indeed—to his chagrin-- infatuation clouding his mind, he could easily get over such ridiculous feelings after a few days. She was his aide, and he her commanding officer. Nothing more, nothing less. Once back in his office, he dedicated his attention to the newly discovered hyperspace lanes, but not without the occasional thought of that smile in the back of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seems that Thrawn doesn't want to deal with his thoughts...  
> Though I see him as this suave, confident guy, I also see him as being a bit confused on how to proceed with this type of relationship. In this story, he's never been interested in anything outside of a fling (and only ever with Chiss women). In the next few chapters, he'll start developing real feelings, and for a human (which he's never been interested in before).  
> We'll also see Elena develop as a character. With Janali gone, she's having to learn to take up for herself; so we'll see her grow more of a backbone over the course of the story.
> 
> Lyste has shone up! And there will be more Rebels characters in the future. 
> 
> The rebel threat that Thrawn and his officers are investigating are completely made up by me and not related to Star Wars Rebels. They have 3 months to go before Season 3 starts, so they need something to do, haha.


	3. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena meets and befriends Lieutenant Lyste. Thrawn summons Elena to his office to meet her, and the two develop an attraction to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is Chapter 3! I've included some sexual tension between Thrawn and Elena. I'll be honest though-- this is my first time writing sexual tension, so if any of you guys have suggestions on how to improve my writing, please let me know.   
> Thrawn has been quite a challenge to write about, but I hope I'm capturing his character well.

                “And that should be everything I believe,” Lieutenant Lyste told the five new recruits. It had taken him forty minutes to show the new recruits the bridge area and the locations of the superior officers’ offices. Elena was more than ready to go to her room. “If you still feel lost, your rooms’ computers include a holomap of all the _Chimaera’s_ hallways and rooms.” He gestured towards the hall to their right. “Down this hallway past the left corner are your personal rooms. Since you all have a unique job pertaining to the bridge or to the officers, your rooms are conveniently located just a floor under the officer’s quarters and bridge elevators. Any questions?”

                The four lieutenants and one ensign surrounding him remained quiet. “Very well. You are all dismissed for unpacking and dinner, which will stop being served at 2000 hours.” There was a hint of arrogance in his voice, as though he had to prove his superiority.

                “Thank you, Lieutenant,” all five of the recruits said. Elena followed the other four around the corner. The first four rooms were theirs, but she did not see a fifth one nearby. Perhaps it was further down? She checked her datapad again for her room number.

                “B3006…” she said to herself. She began walking further down the hall.

                “Wait, Lieutenant.” Elena looked back and saw that Lyste had caught up with her.

                “Yes, Lieutenant Lyste?” she asked.

                “I forgot to tell you, your room is way down at the end of this hall. The rooms up here have a curious layout,” he laughed lightly.

                “Thank you, Lieutenant,” she gave him a small smile and turned back.

                “P…Perhaps I could accompany you?” She turned back to face him. A small swath of pink began to color his youthful face.

                “Oh, uh, of course you can, Lieutenant,” her guard suddenly went up. She grabbed her left wrist—a nervous tick of hers-- and walked with him. He had gotten more noticeably red.

                He walked at a respectful distance beside her. “So, you graduated from Royal Imperial?” he asked.

                “I did,” she replied. Still cautious, she asked, “Where did you graduate from?”

                “Raithal Academy,” he said proudly. “It’s one of the more prestigious ones. Though, definitely not as prestigious as Royal Imperial…” What red had left his face had resurfaced. She started to feel a bit better. She could sense that he was harmless. Just a young man trying to make conversation. Her life in the slums had taught her to always keep her guard up when alone with men, and she knew she would never lose that habit. She suddenly felt silly that she thought this young man was dangerous at all. “I assume you’ll be training as a new bridge officer like the other four?” he asked.

                “I might have the opportunity to work up there one day, but I was actually assigned as an Officer’s Aide to Grand Admiral Thrawn,” she replied.

                “Oh my,” his eyes grew a bit wide, “that is quite an honor. But…a lieutenant as an aide to a grand admiral?” he asked.

                She looked at him. She could just barely make out his bright blue eyes and black hair from underneath that ridiculous hat. He had to be around her age, maybe a few years older. With Janali resurfacing in her mind, she quickly deployed a trick her friend had taught her a few years ago.

                “Oh?” she smiled coyly. “Do you believe I may not be qualified enough?”

                “No, no Lieutenant! I was…I was merely just saying that…” he stammered. She had successfully flustered him. She went in for the kill by softly giggling, turning him as red as a Coruscant sunset.

                She had never flirted with anyone before, especially not at the academy. Janali did all the flirting and talking. She wasn’t sure where that bit of bravery came from, but she found that she enjoyed it quite much.

                After regaining his composure, he cleared his throat. “You’re a very talented woman, Lieutenant Rizzo, to have graduated from Royal Imperial and now serve as a grand admiral’s aide.”

                “Thank you, Lieutenant,” she looked up. “Oh, this must be it.” She stopped in front of a gray door painted “ **B3006**.” She turned back to Lyste, “Thank you for escorting me here, Lieutenant.” She activated the code pad and opened the door, her luggage waiting inside.

                “Lieutenant…if you are willing,” he began, “would you care to dine with me after you unpack?”

                This was why she never flirted with anyone. Having had her fill of people for the day, she had planned to eat very briefly, receive her orders, and retire to her room. But maybe this wasn’t a bad idea. Having another friend would be good. And he looked so eager. How could she say no? “That would be wonderful, Lieutenant.” She stepped inside her room.

                “Perfect,” he said with a goofy smile. “I’ll go in around 1900 hours and wait for you at the cafeteria entrance.” Thanking him, she closed her door.

                Comforted by the first moment of solitude she had all day, she sighed. She probably shouldn’t have done that. The academy taught her to remain professional at all times, and that dating and even friendships were discouraged while working. But these weren’t work hours. She guessed that she would find out the unwritten rules soon enough.

                Turning towards her room, she began to unpack. The ships’ crew had given her seven standard uniforms with the _Chimaera’s_ symbol on the sleeves. In thirty minutes she had her bed made, uniforms hung up, leisure clothes put away, and decorations set up. She didn’t have much. Her belongings only spanned three academy uniforms, five leisure outfits, a stuffed Loth-cat doll, a personal notebook, a blue bandanna, and a small box of original paintings by her.

                She propped the paintings up on her desk and on a small shelf over her bed. They were all landscapes that she had painted while at the orphanage. Having been located on the top surface of Coruscant, the orphanage had a few nice things, such as a library, acrylic paints, and visual encyclopedias of other worlds. She had painted a double sunset on Tatooine, a sapphire-blue lake on Naboo, a mountainous landscape of Lothal, and other scenes. Painting had been her favorite distraction whenever she became upset over her lost memories. Staring at her painting of a Coruscant skyline, she thought back to the day the city police found her.

                She had been wandering around a back alley in the Federal District. She had on only a flight suit, a broken blaster, and an exquisite gold bracelet bearing her name in Aurebesh letters. She rolled up her right sleeve. It was her most prized possession, and the only clue as to who she was. Whoever had given her this bracelet had really loved her, so her family must be out there somewhere. She also had the blaster on her…did she come from a smuggler family? A family of pilots? She groaned, knowing it was futile to even try.

                She checked the time on her datapad. 1852 hours. She had better get going if she and Lyste were going to be friends.

~ ▪ ~

                It had taken Thrawn only fifteen minutes to compile a list of possible systems from studying the hyperspace lanes alone. With a map prepared with his findings, the next officer’s meeting would be highly productive.

                But now that his task was complete, his thoughts began to wander back to Lieutenant Rizzo. It seemed that there was no escape from this. Conceding defeat, he picked up his datapad and decided to indulge his curiosity.  

~ ▪ ~

                Dinner went by with more idle conversation about their times at the academies. Lyste seemed polite enough, Elena thought, but he cared a little too much about promotions and personal glory.

                “Yes, well…I did receive a bit of embarrassment after an incident on Lothal,” he said, dipping his head. “A band of rebels had stolen some Alderaanian ships during my watch…”

                “I’m sorry about that,” Elena replied. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of opportunity to make up for it.”

                “Oh, most definitely. I’m in charge of supplies on the Chimaera, as of now. But I’ve been hearing talks that I may be put in charge of my own light cruiser,” he said haughtily.

                Elena thought his claim that a lieutenant was put in charge of supplies on a Star Destroyer was a little far fetched, but she knew better than to argue. He seemed nice enough though.

                Before she could reply, her datapad pinged. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest.

                “What’s wrong?” Lyste asked, noticing her brief moment of panic.

                “I’ve received my first orders,” she replied, “and Grand Admiral Thrawn has summoned me to his office after my dinner.”

                “You should go soon then,” Lyste said hastily. “You can’t keep the Grand Admiral waiting, especially if you want to make a good first impression—which will lead to a faster promotion,” he added.

                Picking up her empty tray, she stood. “Thank you for eating with me, Lieutenant…and for all the advice. I’m sure we’ll see each other in passing.”

                “Wait, Lieuten…” but before he could grab her attention, she was on her way to Grand Admiral Thrawn’s office.

~ ▪ ~

                After about fifteen minutes of taking elevators and asking for directions, she found the Grand Admiral’s office, which was only a floor above her room. She hadn’t realized she had started shaking till she approached the stormtrooper guarding his door. He didn’t acknowledge her.

                “Um…” she stammered, “I am Lieutenant Rizzo, Officer’s Aide to Grand Admiral Thrawn.” The stormtrooper still showed no response. She was starting to feel like she didn’t belong here. “He has summoned me to his office to receive my first orders.”

                “Your code cylinder?” the trooper asked. She handed him the pen-like object she kept in her shoulder pocket. The trooper stuck it into a reader and handed it back. “You’re free to enter.”

                “Thank you,” she said as she stepped inside the office. She found herself in a room with three doors and four pillars, each holding a small statuette. The two doors on her right and left were closed, but the one in front of her was open. Inside she saw a semi-circle-shaped desk, and seated behind it was Grand Admiral Thrawn. She felt unbelievably nervous but had stopped shaking. Something about his office calmed her. She stood in the frame of his office door, and he looked up.

                “Lieutenant Rizzo,” he stood up from his desk, “thank you for your swift response to my summons.” He walked towards her. Gingerly placing his hand on her back, he led her to his desk. “Please, have a seat.”

                Almost magically, that small, insignificant touch put her at ease, and her intrigue of him reemerged. It was as though she could read his intentions through that touch. He wanted her to feel safe, welcome, and trusting of him. As he walked back behind his desk, she subtly fixed her posture to mimic his.

                “I have invited you this evening so that I may finally meet you, as I was not able to do so upon your arrival,” he sat in his chair, “And to explain the role of your position.”

                “It’s a pleasure and an honor to meet you, Grand Admiral,” she said as gracefully as she could.

                “Oh believe me, Lieutenant, the pleasure is all mine.” His tone was so gentle and suave, but one of authority. “As you are aware, Lieutenant, you are now my Officer’s Aide. This position requires that you work directly with me in the form of assisting with research, investigations, and battle strategy.”

                He must have caught her small look of surprise. “Fear not, Lieutenant. I know that this is your first time working in a real military setting. I am here to guide you, but my guidance cannot be met without your…willingness to learn.” He placed his hands and elbows on his desk, his right hand covering his left. “Does this position interest you?”

                He was giving her a choice? “Yes, Grand Admiral, sir,” she replied. Of course she was interested. “I must admit,” she said, “I had taken an interest in your career during my time at the academy. I can think of no better person in the Imperial Navy to learn battle tactics from.”

                She caught the hint of a smile on his lips. “Excellent, Lieutenant,” he replied, “then I would like to briefly discuss with you our current investigation…if, you will allow me a moment to gather the necessary files.” He began scrolling through a screen on his desk, that ghost of a smile still on his lips. He was very handsome, she couldn’t help thinking. And he knew it too, with the way he carried himself. She glimpsed his right hand resting on his desk, the same hand he had placed on her back. She imagined how his hand had felt against her back, and it gave her a rush. His hands were large and powerful. She began wondering how they would feel on her shoulders. She felt a blush beginning to dust her cheeks and dismissed the silly fantasy just as the Grand Admiral brought up a holomap.

               “We our currently investigating rebel activity located just outside the Outer Rim,” he motioned at four sets of trajectories leading off the map. “I believe the rebels have constructed a base on one of the planets in this section.” Just as he said it, he juxtaposed a second map of Unknown Regions planets next to the Outer Rim map. “Our job is to find this base and destroy it, but the challenge lies within discerning which planet they are hiding on.” He dismissed the maps and focused his gaze on her. “This will be the first mission in which you will assist me, Lieutenant.”

               “What will you have me do, sir?” she said. His red, erudite eyes continued to study her face. Unlike most of the crew, she was not unsettled by them. They fascinated her with a formidable beauty only she could see. She could have sworn that subtle smile had returned to his face.

               “If you are indeed familiar with my battle tactics,” he said as he turned his chair to his right, “then you must know that I study the art and cultures of my enemies in order to better understand them.” He began working on another screen in his desk. “I’m going to prepare a datachip for you filled with a collection of art from the suspected planets. We leave for the Seventh Fleet in two weeks. Will that be an acceptable amount of time for you to study these pieces and tell me what you have learned?”

_This is a test_ , she thought. She was very familiar with his unique strategy of using art to outwit his opponents. It would only make sense that his aide would use the same technique. In that moment, she had never been more grateful for her own artistic interests. “It will be more than enough, Grand Admiral, sir.”

               “Excellent, Lieutenant. Please know that your deductions do not have to be perfect. In fact, this assignment is only to help me gauge your technique and thought process.” He began working on his screen. “If you will allow me a few minutes, I will have your datachip prepared.”

               As he began working, Elena let her eyes wander around his office. He was quite fond of collecting helmets and small figurines, but what caught her eye was a large painting of a Lothalian landscape.

               “If you pardon the interruption, sir,” she said meekly, “where did you find that Lothalian landscape painting?”

               “I bought it a few months ago while on Coruscant for a meeting,” he looked up. “You have a genuine interest in art, Lieutenant?”

               “I do,” she smiled a bit, and looked back at the painting, “I used to paint. I found a copy of this painting in a book once and recreated it.” If she had been looking at him, she would have seen his eyes filled with desire at the sight of her smile. It was one of those rare moments when the admiral wavered in his cool demeanor.

               “You will have to show me your artwork sometime, Lieutenant.”

               That idea frightened her. She never talked about her art with anyone, but why was she so quick to share it this time? She returned her gaze back to him. His attention had returned to the screen, and she was suddenly drawn to him again. She wanted him to look at her with those calculating red eyes, feel his sultry gaze as he studied her. She wanted to know how his blue hands felt, and not just on her back. She imagined her hands in his, how small they would make her feel. That traitorous blush reappeared again.

               “Here,” he handed her the datachip. “For tomorrow, I would like for you to work with Commander Moore in the bridge tower. I want you to become more acclimated with the Chimaera and its crew.” He stood up, as did she. “I have more officer meetings to attend to tomorrow, and will, unfortunately, not see you. After our transfer, however, you will accompany me to all of them indefinitely.” He walked towards her and placed his hand on her back, sending a rush of bliss through her body. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Lieutenant, and I am looking forward to studying your interpretations of the artwork.” He led her to the outside door.

               “It was a pleasure to meet you too, sir,” she said. Once they reached the door, he placed both his hands behind his back.

               “Good night, Lieutenant Rizzo.”

               Blushing from his recent touch, she replied, “Good night, Grand Admiral.” The door closed behind her.

               When she finally fell asleep, she dreamed of those hands doing more than just escorting her to a door.

~ ▪ ~

               She would never know, but she had bested him. That smile when she looked at the painting was all it took to undo him, and it had taken him every fiber of his being to maintain his cool temperament. He was grateful that his tunic was long enough to cover the bulge in his pants.

               Regardless, he had learned a very interest bit of information--that she held similar feelings towards him. That intrigue and longing in her eyes. The heat he could see blooming from her cheeks. She wanted him too, and that’s what made this more dangerous than it already was.

               He could not allow this to happen. It would only be a distraction from his goals, which spanned much higher than bringing some nettlesome rebels to justice. No, what he had planned was much more important, but he had to be careful. Not even Eli knew of all he had planned. If he became involved with this beautiful young woman, her life might become endangered. And what if he couldn’t trust her?

               Maybe this small time apart would be good for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Looks like Lyste might like Elena too. Will Thrawn find out? And what does Thrawn have planned?  
> The next chapter or two will include more tension between Thrawn and Elena, and I'll post them some time this week. After that, we'll start getting in to the Rebels Season 3 timeline, where some interesting things will take place. Thank you for all the kudos! I am so happy that some of you guys actually like this :) thank you!


	4. The Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Elena's first meeting with Thrawn, she begins working on the task he assigned her. She comms Janali, who has exciting news for her. Elena presents her findings to Thrawn, but not before having an unfortunate encounter with another crewman.

                The next two weeks passed without much event. Each day, Elena worked in a different part of the ship with a different officer. She had met more people in those two weeks than she ever had in known memory, and many of them showed a kindness that contradicted the cold and ruthless air the Empire worked so hard to maintain. She also had made friends with some of the women aboard the _Chimaera_ , who were few and far between. Out of all the areas she was tasked, she worked in supplies the most. She saw Lyste, who was more than eager to show her the ropes of the supplies areas, almost every day; and each time, they were almost reprimanded for his attempts to make conversation with her during work hours.

                She had only seen the Grand Admiral a couple of times, but in those times, he had made an effort to speak to her and ask her how she was. He had told her that once the _Chimaera_ was transferred, they would meet to discuss her study of the artwork and would commence their search for the rebel base. He was all professional, which made it even more awkward for her. Even with the time apart, her infatuation and curiosity only grew. It started with the risqué dreams she had after their first meeting. But now he had found his way into her daily thoughts, those educated red eyes and seductive voice filling her head at the most impromptu times. He was intoxicating, but deep down she knew it was wrong, knew it would never happen. Maybe she would get over him in time. Maybe it would help if she talked to someone?

                _You can comm me whenever you want!_ Janali’s comment from graduation day played in Elena’s head. Maybe that’s exactly what she needed to do. The two women had sent each other their schedules and discovered that they had the same off day every week. So four days after her first meeting with the Grand Admiral, she commed her friend.

                “WHAT?” Janali had said, “Elle, I never would have thought you capable of such… _scandal_ ,” the girl teased.

                “Keep your voice down!” Elena said through gritted teeth. Janali’s blue hologram smiled devilishly.

                “Hey, don’t get mad at me. How did you think I was going to take the news that you’re in love with your superior officer,” Janali said in a quieter voice.

                Elena pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m not _in_ _love_ with him,” she emphasized, “I just…think he’s attractive, ok? That’s all. I just really needed to tell someone because it’s bothering me,” she leaned back on her bed. “He’s just so…fascinating. I just don’t know…”

                “Oh, he’s sooo _fascinating_ ,” Janali teased, batting her lashes for effect.

                “Don’t make me regret telling you,” Elena half-teased.

                “Your secret is safe with me, Elle, you know that,” Janali started playing with her dark brown hair. “I don’t know…maybe you could go along with it. Isn’t he the highest ranking member of the entire Navy?” She gave Elena a mischievous glance. “I bet he’s rich.”

                Elena cupped her face in her hands. “You are unbelievable,” she sighed.

                “I’m kidding!” her friend laughed. “Well, other than falling for one of the most powerful men in the galaxy, what else have you been up to?”

                “Not much really,” Elena said, “I’m doing a project for Admiral Thrawn, but I’ve mostly been assigned to odd jobs around the _Chimaera_. You?”

                “I’ve been designated as a weapons officer,” she said. “It’s fun work most times…Oh! Sorry to change the subject, but have you received your invitation to the Empire Day’s Ball?”

                “No…I’m supposed to receive an invitation?” Elena asked.

                “Yes! The celebrations are in two months. Anyone who’s a lieutenant and up and in good standing with the Empire is invited. Since so many are invited, there will be several balls over the course of a few weeks. I’ve been invited to the fifth one, and I’m more than hoping that’s the one you’ll go to as well.”

                “I’d love to go,” Elena said excitedly. “I don’t have a dress though…I’ll need to buy one.”

                “You should receive an invitation soon, and I can send you a link to the same store I’m buying mine from. They’ll deliver it to your ship. You better start saving up now,” Janali looked to her right, “Hey, I’ve got to go though. But I’m always here if you need to talk more about your alien love drama,” she teased, “love you, bye Elle!”

                Janali vanished, leaving Elena shaking her head.

~ ▪ ~

                Nothing. It was as though she appeared out of nowhere at the age of fifteen.

                Thrawn sat in his office, information on Lieutenant Rizzo pulled up on a holoscreen. He had access to her Royal Imperial records, a list of names of adoptable children living at Rotunda Zone’s Home for Children from the past twelve years, and a short and inconspicuous news article from ten years ago, which was the earliest information he could find about her. It detailed how Coruscanti police found a teenage girl wandering around the Federal District with a broken blaster they believed was stolen. The girl, who claimed to know nothing except for her first name, was admitted to a hospital where they proved her amnesia was indeed authentic and where they calculated her age to be fifteen. Having no family, they sent her to one of Coruscant’s nicer orphanages.

                He knew that she had not been adopted since she remained in the orphanage until she turned eighteen, which made him wonder where she picked up the name Rizzo. Who exactly was this woman and where did she come from? Her shrouded past intrigued him, and he wanted to know more. Not just from mere curiosity, but out of safety. He couldn’t help but think that her past might hold dark secrets. After all, it wasn’t that common of an occurrence to find a child wandering around with amnesia and a blaster. Did someone tamper with her memories because she knew something? Did she come from a crime family and fled to Coruscant? He needed to know more.

                His thoughts were interrupted by an incoming comm call, the information about his aide abruptly replaced with a stern looking woman with blue eyes and short black hair.

                “Ah, Governor Pryce. How are you this evening?” Thrawn asked.

                “I am well, Grand Admiral, as I hope you are too,” she replied. Her icy blue eyes were all business. “I’m comming to inquire about your transfer to the Seventh Fleet. I will still require your assistance in crushing this rebel activity on my planet.”

                “My ship will depart for the Seventh Fleet in three days, Governor,” he replied. “When were you planning to appeal to Governor Tarkin about acquiring my help?”

                “That is why I’m calling. At first I thought I would need to ask the Tarkin as soon as you were transferred. However, I’ve noticed a significant decrease in rebel activity these past three months,” she said. “With no rebel activity going on right now, Tarkin may not see a reason to send your fleet to the Lothal system…at least for now.”

                “I agree,” Thrawn said. “My fleet is also in the midst of an investigation concerning rebel activity outside the Outer Rim. Until we have succeeded in crushing that activity, I may not be able to offer assistance.”

                “With a man of your talents, I’m sure it will be destroyed within a few weeks,” she paused. “I do hope that is the case, Grand Admiral.”

                “Not to worry, Governor,” he glacially replied, “I am certain that my services will be more than open to you when you are ready.”

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said, “And do keep me updated on your current investigation. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to appeal to Tarkin.”

                “Thank you, Governor.” Her bluish hologram vanished, bringing his research on Lieutenant Rizzo back up.

                He did not like that woman at all, but he did need her help. If he was going to succeed in his plans, he needed someone to help him navigate the messy world of politics.

                Feeling restless, he decided to start his daily exercises early. Removing his white tunic, he walked into his training room, grabbed a staff, and activated the sentry droids he used for sparring.

~ ▪ ~

                Today was the day. The _Chimaera_ had made its trip through hyperspace and joined the ranks of five other star destroyers that comprised the Seventh Fleet. Hours after the trip, Elena’s datapad pinged with a summons from Admiral Thrawn. Fear filled her core, but it gave her energy.

                She had spent the past two weeks studying the paintings of twenty Wild Space planets. At first the task bewildered her; but once she had sat down, organized them by planet, and dove into the details, she was able to see it all clearly. She only hoped the Grand Admiral would see her work that way too.

                He had summoned her during night hours again, 2000 hours this time. It was 1930 now. Making her way towards his office from the cafeteria, she knew it would be around a fifteen minute journey. She was nearing the area where the offices and her room were located when she started to feel an odd sensation, like something malicious was lurking around the corner. She stopped, suddenly worried. She had always had an impeccable sixth scent, and it never failed her. In fact, it had even saved her life a few times when she was living in the slums. On her guard, she took a breath to calm down and gained control of the feeling. And almost on cue, she turned the corner and saw the Ensign who had harassed her during their journey to the _Chimaera_.

                “You,” he said, recognizing her. “You caused me a bit of embarrassment, you harpy.” He started taking steps towards her.

                Scared, Elena backed away, but still held her ground. “Well what was I supposed to do? Sit there and let you keep insulting me?”

                “Yes,” he said, grabbing her by the collar, “Scum like you have no business in the Imperial Military.”

                Her body froze, but the words kept spilling out. “Really?” Elena tried to break free, “because it looks to me like the Empire might think otherwise, _Ensign_.” The word was barely out of her mouth when he slammed her on the floor. Her left cheek stung from the impact.”

                “Watch your damn mouth,” he said shaking from anger, “Or there will be plenty more where that came from.” Looking behind him, he ran down the hall and disappeared behind a corner.

                She would not cry. Picking herself up, she held her face in her hands and tried to calm down. He was gone now. It would be okay. She’ll just report him tomorrow. Certainly there were cameras on this ship. With one last breath and a stinging face, she continued to the Grand Admiral’s office.

~ ▪ ~

                He had just finished up a duel with his two sentry droids when his stormtrooper guard notified him of his aide’s arrival. Quickly, he covered his toned arms and chest with his white tunic and waited for her in front of the door.

                She stepped inside, and the first thing he noticed was the beginning of a small bruise on her cheek. Horrified but keeping his cool demeanor, he stepped towards her. “What happened to you?” he said, his voice full of concern.

                She touched the bruise and quickly looked down, “Oh, it’s…it’s nothi-“

                “Forgive me,” he interrupted. He touched her face, gingerly placing his thumb on the red mark and resting his fingers just below her jaw. It was not severe; however, judging by her expression, it most certainly was not nothing and happened very recently. “Lieutenant, who did this to you?” His hand reluctantly dropped back to his side.

                She looked surprised, probably wondering how he knew. Looking down, she conceded. “A fellow crewman,” she said. “He went out of his way to harass me during out flight from the academy. I ran into him on my way here.”

                “Do you know his name?” Thrawn asked.

                “Oh, uh,” she hesitated, “I do not, sir. All I know is that he’s an Ensign, has blond hair, and may work in this area.”

                His icy front masked his inner rage. “Fair enough. I’ll see to it that this Ensign is found and punished, accordingly,” he said. Lieutenant Rizzo looked terrified, like she had done something wrong.

                “I hope you know that I am here to help you, Lieutenant,” he said gently. As he spoke, he placed his hand on her back and led her into his office. “Actions such as his will not be tolerated on my ship, especially when they are directed at my officer’s aide.” She sat, and he walked behind his desk. “Please know that I will do what I can to protect you from such instances.” Her facial heat increased, and her look of terror turned to one of gratitude.

                He was letting his emotions speak for him, something he never did. He felt like he was crossing some forbidden line, and it frustrated him. Their short time apart did nothing to quell his feelings. He wanted her both to stay and to leave. Her leaving would put an end to the storm of emotions he felt, but her leaving was the last thing he wanted. He would soon have an answer to his problem though, because tonight would prove whether or not the young lieutenant would even remain his aide.

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said quietly.

                Nodding, he commenced with their meeting. “Now, if you would, I am eager to see what you have deduced from the artwork.”

                “Yes, sir,” she stuck her datachip into one of the desk’s ports, and holographic paintings decorated the office. She had grouped the paintings by system. Walking towards the group on her right, she began her presentation.

                “After studying the art and researching what I could about these systems, I’ve concluded that most of these planets are uninhabited,” she said.

                “And what brings you to that conclusion?” he asked.

                She tapped the set of paintings to her right, bringing them forward. “Unlike the habited worlds I’ve studied that have many different styles of art—like statues, paintings, and graffiti—these planets,” she said, motioning to the holograms, “have no artwork of their own. These paintings were done by an Outer Rim landscape artist. Since this is the only known artwork concerning these planets, I’ve concluded that they have either very little or no sentient lifeforms at all.” She grabbed her left wrist, starting to get nervous. “I believe the rebels would prefer to set up a base on one of these uninhabited planets because they would have a lesser chance of attracting attention.”

                “An excellent deduction, Lieutenant,” Thrawn said. “What else can you tell me?”

                She tapped several of the landscape paintings, bringing them in front of her and Thrawn. “Many of these paintings of the uninhabited planets depict brilliant colored smoke and rock. Take this painting for example,” she brought forth a picture of a mountain surrounded by yellow smoke. “This is Salezar, a planet rich in sulfur and kallium, both yellow colored elements.” She then switched to a painting of white terrain and red smoke. “This is Crait. A planet covered in salt flats, which conceal a red mineral beneath. Disturbing the fields causes red smoke to emerge from underneath the flats.”

                For the next twenty minutes, she presented the rest of her findings on both the uninhabited and habited worlds’ artwork. Though some of her logic was fundamentally flawed, she still showed an aptitude he was not expecting. She was brilliant and promising, he concluded, and he had no intentions of letting her go. And watching her blush every time he made eye contact with her only made him more certain of his decision. Perhaps he could make a game out of this.

                Though he was listening to every word she said, he found himself even more enchanted with her than during their first meeting. She did not know how attractive she was. Though her mahogany-colored hair was pulled into a low bun, some loose waves had escaped, framing her face. Suddenly he was grateful that she opted not to wear one of those ridiculous hats. Her blue eyes, which usually gave away her own self-doubt, had become focused and determined during her presentation. He only wished that she would treat him to that beautifully coy smile. As she continued, he allowed himself to look over the rest of her. She was petite, only reaching up to his chest level. His eyes rested on the small curves of her hips and breasts. Even wearing that horrible uniform, Lieutenant Rizzo was beautiful. Occasionally, she would look back at him, and her facial heat would increase. It was too agonizing. He needed to know more about her.

                Once she concluded, he oriented himself. “I’m impressed,” he said. “I too have a theory that the rebels may be hiding on one of the remote planets,” he leaned forward. “Tell me, Lieutenant Rizzo, what would be an excellent clue that could help narrow our search?”

                Her eyes grew big. “I hate to admit, Grand Admiral,” she nervously said, “I could not reach a viable conclusion…”

                “Do not give up just yet,” he said. “These mineral planets provide us with a plethora of clues.”

                “How so?” she asked.

                “All of these minerals you have talked about are key components of the planets. The rebels will no doubt have to deal with their annoying presence both inside and outside their base, as well as around their ships.”

                She knitted her brows, understanding forming in her eyes. “Perhaps these minerals are staining their ships?”

                “Precisely, Lieutenant,” he said, impressed. “Just yesterday I ordered my scouts to make note of any unusual damages or discolorations on the rebel ships, but to not pursue unless they strike first.”

                “That way, they won’t suspect they’re being hunted down. They’ll think the TIEs will just be on regular patrols,” realization dawning over her, “And once we discover which planet they’re on, they’ll be completely unsuspecting once we arrive.”

                “Exactly,” he said.

                “That’s genius,” she said quietly.

                “I do believe you have passed my little test, Lieutenant,” Thrawn said. “I believe you will be an excellent officer’s aide, and a cunning tactician.”

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said, relief washing over her face.

                “I am curious, Lieutenant,” Thrawn said, “Which of these pieces did you find the most…fascinating?”

                His question had dissipated what nervousness lingered in her, and the two soon found themselves locked in conversation, the cold façade of decorum melting away with each passing minute. They talked about their favorite pieces of artwork, and Thrawn told her about his victories in past battles and his rise from lieutenant to Grand Admiral. She eagerly listened and asked many questions, genuinely interested in him and his work. It was as though her shyness melted away and revealed this witty, charming young woman who Thrawn found himself drawn to even more. Her smile was back, brightening her eyes. It took him everything he had not to pull her close to him and kiss her.

                Towards the end of their talk, he remembered a request he had made. “I was not lying when I said that I would love to see your artwork sometime, lieutenant,” Thrawn said.

                “Oh,” her facial heat increased and she grabbed her left wrist, “If you insist, Grand Admiral. They definitely aren’t masterpieces…painting was more so a pastime of mine before joining the academy,” she said.

                Seeing his chance, he asked, “You come from a family of painters, Lieutenant?”

                She paused, and the air suddenly changed. “Well,” she looked down, “I actually don’t know, Grand Admiral.”

                He raised an eyebrow.

                She hesitated for a second. “This story will sound insane, but since I am now your aide, it would be best if you know a little bit about me.” Her smile had receded, and she became withdrawn again. If he had not been so curious, he would have told her that she didn’t have to talk about it. “I have no memories before the age of fifteen,” she said. “I was found wandering around on Coruscant. The only reason I knew my name is because of this bracelet,” she lifted her sleeve to show him. “I had no family, and was placed in an orphanage where I lived until I turned eighteen,” her facial heat increased, and she started to withdraw further in. “I joined Royal Imperial at the age of twenty-two, and the rest is history.”

                “Where did you live before you joined the academy?” Thrawn asked. Reading about her was different, but hearing her talk about it struck a chord of sympathy inside of him.

                Suddenly reticent, she said, “I’m sorry…perhaps I’ll be able to tell you one day, but I can’t bring myself to talk about it tonight.”

                He felt guilty. He too had a past and a few secrets; but if she had asked him about his own origins, he would not have shared anything with her, at least not yet. It was unfair of him to ask something of her that he could not return, which filled him with remorse. But, one day he _would_ tell her everything. He just needed more time. “I understand, Lieutenant,” he said while getting out of his chair, “I do apologize for asking. I was not aware of your past, and I do hope I can help lead you to a better future.”

                She smiled, “Thank you, Grand Admiral. And it isn’t an issue that you asked. It’s just not a story that I tell everyone,” She stood, “I am, however, hopeful that I’ll one day regain my memories and find out where I come from.”

                “Perhaps, I could help you?” Thrawn asked.

                She looked up at him. “I would more than appreciate your help, Grand Admiral, but what could we do? I’ve never even had the smallest spark of a memory reemerge before.”

                “I do not know,” he said, placing his hand on her back, “But I will try to help you, Lieutenant.” He looked back at his desk, which displayed the time of 2215 hours.

                “It’s after hours,” he said while leading her to the door. “Allow me to escort you back to your room,” he placed his hands behind his back. “I would not want for you to have another unfortunate encounter with this unknown assailant.” His office door opened, and they proceeded to her room.

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said.

                The entire way there, he wanted so badly to offer his arm to her, but he knew even the slightest breach in decorum would raise unwanted questions. Instead, he informed her of her duties for the coming days.

                After tonight, he did not want to spend time apart again; but he knew would have to, at least until all the transfer paperwork was complete and the rebels in the Unknown regions were found. After that, he intended on seeing his aide every day. Conquests in romance were not so different from conquests in war, as he had discovered. He decided to see where his tactics would take him.

                “This is it,” she said as they stopped in front of room B3006.

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said.

                “Of course, Lieutenant.” She turned to the door, but paused when she heard him ask, “Lieutenant?”

                “Yes, sir?” She turned back to face him.

                “What is your first name?”

                She paused for a second, clearly not expecting the question. “Elena,” she said.

                “Elena,” Thrawn said. He studied her for just a second, taking one last look before he made the calculated risk. “Good night, my dear.”

                She blushed, but tried to remain passive. “Good night, Grand Admiral.” She disappeared inside her room.

                He stood there for a moment, the cold silence overwhelming. Instead of returning to his quarters, he made his way towards the ship’s security camera room.

~ ▪ ~

                A loud banging roused Nick from his sleep. Gasping, he jolted upwards and looked around his room. His holoclock read 0114 hours.

                Another loud banging made him jump, and he realized that someone was beating on his door. _What the hell?_ Scowling from anger, he got out of bed. Who the hell did this idiot think he was waking him up this early?

                When he opened the door, his scowl fled, replaced with fear. Two stormtroopers stood outside, and between them stood Grand Admiral Thrawn.

                “Ah, Ensign Belos. How are you this morning,” he said, his bloodthirsty red eyes glaring back at him.

                “Sir,” was all he could manage to say. He couldn’t look him. He hated those unnatural red eyes.

                “Ensign, are you aware that attacking a fellow crewman unprovoked can sometimes constitute as treason?” He said it so casually, as though he were asking Nick about the weather.

                Whatever expression his face contorted to brought a smirk to the alien’s face. He looked like a predator who had cornered his prey.

                “I’m not sure what you’re referring to, sir,” he said, desperate to save himself.

                “Really? Perhaps watching your actions on our security footage would…jog your memory?”

                Was he mocking him? “That wasn’t me, sir. I was working in the ship’s supply area all night,” he lied.

                “Interesting,” that infuriating smirk still playing on his face, “because within seconds after you attacked my Officer’s Aide, your code cylinder was used to open a door not far from where you two were. We have footage of that as well.”

                Officer’s Aide? He thought back to that day on the transport ship when that dumb girl had countered him with what he thought was an empty threat. No, she had been one-hundred percent serious.  

                “No,” he said as the two stormtroopers grabbed him by his arms. “No! She provoked me! She…” it was hopeless.

                “Transport him to a prison cell,” the alien icily said. His red eyes shot daggers at him. “Have the cell guarded until a ship arrives to take him to his court-martial.”

                “No, please! I swear she provoked me!” His incessant pleading didn’t stop until the troopers threw him into his cell.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it. The next chapter or two will be about them finding the rebel base (and more tension of course...and maybe someone might make a move?). After that, I'll write one chapter about the Imperial Ball :). We're about two or three chapters away from the beginning of Rebels Season 3, where Elena is going to discover a lot about her past from.
> 
> Also, just some notes:  
> Fun fact: Crait is a real planet in Star Wars and will actually be featured in The Last Jedi!
> 
> Also, thank you so much for all the nice comments, the kudos, and the support! I honestly did not know so many people would like this :) This story has been so much fun to write, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.


	5. New Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena secures a date to the Empire Day Ball. Thrawn discovers where the rebel base is, and Elena makes a strange discovery about herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! This was kind of a tough chapter to write. 
> 
> *If you have a hard time visualizing Elena's training session (in the middle of this chapter), it's the same exact one that Ezra did when he was pretending to be a stormtrooper cadet in Rebels S1 Ep5. Here's a video if you don't remember/don't watch Rebels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD9v2vkqACU
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

                “Do you know what time it happened last night?” the young security woman asked Elena.

                “Between 1930 hours and 2000 hours. It was close to room B3006,” she answered. After battling with second thoughts that morning, Elena had—in the end-- decided to report the Ensign who attacked her. She now sat in one of the security personnel’s private offices.

                “Let me just pull up the cameras…,” the security woman’s knitted her brows. “I wonder…”

                “What is it?” Elena asked curiously.

                “I just remembered an update from early this morning—an Ensign was apprehended last night for attacking a fellow crewmember,” the woman looked at Elena.

                “Do you have a picture of him?” she asked.

                “Yes, right here,” the young woman brought up a holoimage of the culprit.

                “That’s him!” Elena said. “But I didn’t even make a report until now though…security is fast around here.”

                “Actually, it was Grand Admiral Thrawn who had him apprehended. It happened very early this morning,” the woman said. “The ensign is being held in one of the _Chimaera’s_ prison cells, and it says here that the Grand Admiral has put in a request for the ensign to be court-martialed.”

                Elena’s stomach dropped. He really meant it when he said he’d find and punish him. But a court-martial?

                “Oh,” Elena said, astonished. “Well. I guess that solves my problem,” she got up from her seat. “Thank you so much for your help, Lieutenant.”

                “Of course, Lieutenant Rizzo. Please don’t hesitate to come back if you’re still facing problems.” The blast door shut behind Elena. Still flabbergasted, she made her way back to her room.

                _Court-martialed_? She knew it would ruin his career for good. Normally she would have felt sympathy for him, but his behavior towards her was enough that even she didn’t feel an ounce of pity. What she did feel was giddy though. Last night’s conversation with the Grand Admiral felt magical, but this new development was even more so. He—one of the most powerful men in the known galaxy—just had an insignificant ensign _imprisoned_ for bruising her face. But there was more—she noticed the way he had looked at her last night, and the fact that he had walked her back to her room. Imperial officers never treated their subordinates with such care and chivalry. Was he just unusually polite or was there something more? Regardless, she thought, she should just forget about it. It was a pipe dream. And even if he _did_ feel the same about her as she did him, they would have to hide their relationship from an entire ship of imperials.

                “Lieutenant Rizzo! What a coincidence,” a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. She was only a few minutes away from her room when Lieutenant Lyste turned the corner. And despite what he said, it did not seem like a coincidence that they crossed paths.

                “Hi Lieutenant Lyste, how are you today?” she asked.

                “I’m well,” he turned red. “Mind if I walk with you? I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

                “Of course, what is it?” she asked. That statement always made her a little nervous.

                He drew himself up tall, but remained blushing. “I was wondering—have you received an invitation to the Empire Day Ball?”

                “I did, just this morning,” her heart began to beat a little faster. “Did you receive one too?”

                “I did, to the fifth ball. I believe everyone on the Chimaera was invited to either the fifth or sixth ball,” he looked down, his blushing intensifying.

                “I was invited to the fifth one too,” Elena answered.

                “Oh, that’s wonderful!” he said a bit excitedly. “Because I wanted to ask you if…if I may be your escort there.”

                “Oh,” she said, adrenaline wreaking havoc on her heart. She had never gone to a dance before, much less with an escort. She didn’t even have a dress picked out yet, and she had planned on spending most of her time at the ball with Janali. And a large part of her wished so badly that it was the Grand Admiral asking her instead of Lyste. But Lyste had always been so kind to her, and it was obvious to her now that he had a crush on her. Maybe this was an opportunity. Despite his arrogance, she still thought he was very handsome, and he was also her age. Maybe if she gave him a chance, it would help her get over her impractical infatuation with the Grand Admiral.

                He was so red. It obviously had taken a large amount of courage for him to ask her. How could she say no? “I still need to pick out a dress, but I would love it if you accompanied me to the dance.”

                “Wonderful,” he looked elated. “Also, it’s just occurred to me—we’ve never learned each other’s first names.” He laughed. “I’m Yogar.”

                “I’m Elena. I’m looking forward to the dance, Yogar,” she said kindly.

                He blushed. “As am I,” he said softly. “I do apologize, but I’m needed in the supply rooms. Goodbye, Elena.” And with that, he left, and Elena stepped into her room to comm Janali.

~ ▪ ~

                “Well? Have you decided on one yet?” Janali’s hologram asked.

                “I’ve narrowed it down to three…but the price will ultimately be the deciding factor. I love the dresses, this store is just so damn expensive though” Elena and Janali had made it a habit to comm at least once on their off days.

                “I know, but I think you should go with what makes you happy,” Janali said. “You’re not paying for rent or food, and you have the rest of your career to save money. You may only get one chance to go to an Imperial Ball. Splurge just this once.” Janali’s face became a little solemn. “You’re not fighting for survival anymore. You deserve something nice.”

                Janali was the only person who knew Elena had lived in an orphanage and the Coruscanti slums. When they became close enough and Elena told her, she was nothing but supportive of her friend. If Elena was hungry and couldn’t afford food, Janali always helped her out and never asked for anything in return. If she needed somewhere to sleep when academy was not in session, Janali and her parents housed Elena in their luxurious home. Elena started stroking her stuffed Loth-cat doll’s face to combat the twinge of emotion she felt.

                “Well, you do have a point,” Elena conceded. She started fidgeting with the doll’s feet. “The ball is about a month away, though. How fast is the delivery?”

                “Give them a week at most,” Janali said. “Oh, and you haven’t forgotten the second most important thing, right?”

                “That being…?” Elena asked. She sat her doll back on the ledge next to her blue bandanna.

                “A date,” Janali answered.

                “Actually,” Elena laughed, “I was just asked right before calling you.”

                “Who? Who is it?” Janali hounded. If they had been in the same room, she would have been gripping Elena’s shoulders and playfully shaking her. “Please tell me it’s your blue, Grand Admiral boyfriend.”

                Elena blushed and snickered. “No…no, just a friend of mine. His name is Yogar Lyste, and he’s a lieutenant.”

                Janali cocked her head to the side.

                “Jan, there is no way…in all of the galaxy…that I would be going to the ball with Grand Admiral Thrawn.” Elena looked at her door, suddenly worried that someone outside would overhear her. “Besides, I bet he’s not even going,” she said quietly.

                “Why would he not?” Janali asked. “He’s so high ranked. It’d be strange if he didn’t go.”

                “I bet he’d feel…out of place,” Elena said. “He’d be one non-human among hundreds of human guests…most of who aren’t exactly accepting of non-humans.”

                “Fair enough…but how is it you _know_ he would feel awkward, or even care what everyone else thinks of him?” Janali pressed.

                “We talk sometimes. We might have been…spending a lot of time together,” Elena said, blushing.

                “Details!” Janali smiled.

                “Our past few meetings have been pleasant,” Elena said. “We talked for hours last night after a meeting, and he escorted me back to my room because it was so late.” Janali continued to stare at her, her way of asking for more details. “And sometimes he gives me this look…it makes me nervous, in a good way.”

                 “Elle, I am calling it right now—he feels something for you.” Janali looked victorious.

                Elena blushed. “That’s not all—do you remember that jerk I told you about who harassed me on the transport ship?”

                “Yes!” Janali said. “Have you seen him since?”

                “Yes, just last night. I ran into him on my way to Admiral Thrawn’s office, and he threw me to the ground.” Janali looked horrified. “When Admiral Thrawn saw my bruise,” Elena lightly touched her injury, “he looked so angry, it scared me a little. He said he was going to find out who it was and punish him.”

                “I was wondering what that mark on your face was,” Janali said. “And?” she said, hungry for more details.

                “I found out that Admiral Thrawn found the guy and had him thrown into a prison cell late last night…” Elena said. “Janali, he’s having the guy _court-martialed_.”

                Janali covered her mouth with her hand. “Elena Rizzo, if you do not go to the ball with Grand Admiral Thrawn, I swear…” she laughed.

                Elena joined her laughter, and they talked for the rest of the morning.  

~ ▪ ~

                Three weeks had gone by before Thrawn’s scouts saw the rebels again. Until that moment, his days had been monotonously filled with paperwork, meetings, and a massive amount of comms. When one of his captains finally summoned him, he left for the bridge immediately.

                “Sir, we have reports concerning the rebels we’re investigating,” the middle-aged captain said to Thrawn. He had just arrived to the bridge where he could see some of his TIE fighters returning from their reconnaissance.

                “What have you found?” Thrawn asked.

                “As per your request, our pilots kept an eye out for any unusual damages to the rebel ships. They report that all four ships have what appear to be red stains on the hulls, either from dust or mud, by the looks of it.” The captain held out a datapad for Thrawn to see.

                “Excellent, Captain,” Thrawn said, taking the datapad. “I do believe this will prove quite useful in narrowing down our search.”

                “Thank you, sir,” the captain answered. “Shall I send out more TIE fighters to pursue the rebels?”

                “No, pull back the fighters for now, or else the rebels may become more suspicious of their continuing presence.” Thrawn turned towards the window, peering out into space. “We’ve learned all that we’ve needed to know.”

                “As you wish, Grand Admiral,” the captain replied, a bit of puzzlement in his voice.

                With this new bit of information, he could begin narrowing down his search again. Those three weeks had dragged on for far too long, and he was more than eager to continue his investigation.

                But what really made those three weeks drag by so slowly was the absence of Lieutenant Rizzo, who he had only seen three times since then. But it was for a good reason, as she would only have been a delightful distraction to all the necessary paperwork and comms concerning his transfer to the Seventh Fleet. He was almost done with all of it though, and with this new development concerning the rebels, he would soon get to see her more frequently.

                As he made his way back to his office from the bridge, he thought back to those three times that he did see her. The first two times he had summoned her to assist him with some paperwork. They were able to squeeze in a few conversations amidst all the work they had to do, but it was never enough time. The third meeting had been far more delightful. He had called her in for more paperwork assistance, and she surprised him by finally honoring his request and bringing one of her paintings to show him. He knew she had more, but that night she had treated him to a landscape of Naboo, with its lush mountains and royal blue lake. She did not give herself enough credit for how talented she really was. Her painting had drew them into yet another hours long conversation that ended with Thrawn inviting her to stay for dinner.

                “Oh. Are you sure Grand Admiral?” she had asked. She was taken aback by his invitation, but he could see the desire in her eyes.

                “I insist, my dear,” he had said. “I am enjoying our talk. And I must admit—to me, there are so few pleasures in day-to-day life on this ship as fine as your company.” His comment had made her blush wildly. He was quite enjoying this.

                If she had seemed surprised by his request for her to dine with him, she was even more so by the meal itself, and where they ate. His quarters had three doors: the center one leading to his office, the leftmost to his private training room, and the rightmost to his living quarters. He watched as she stared in amazement at the simplistic finery of his dining room and parlor. He kept his more expensive and rare artwork in his living quarters, and he could not stop himself from smiling as she admired the pieces.

                When their dinner arrived, she looked eternally grateful and thanked the servants for their service. It was obvious that she was not used to this. He thought sadly that this might have been the nicest meal she had had in years. There was no telling what kind of filth they were feeding her down in the commissary. Perhaps she should dine with him every night, he had thought.

                “Is this Alderaanian wine?” she asked.

                “It is,” Thrawn said. “I admit, I merely guessed that this particular vintage would be to your liking.”

                “You guessed correctly, Grand Admiral,” she said almost flirtatiously, which he knew was very uncharacteristic of her. Nothing could have made him happier. As she sophisticatedly took another small sip of the wine, he found that he could not drag his eyes away from her. She was so sensual, but innocent. Her beautiful blue eyes reflected so much—intelligence, depth, and mystery. She had no idea who she was, but was so driven, so determined to build a life for herself and uncover her shrouded memories. He wanted so badly to help her, but for once in his life could not conjure up a viable plan as to how.

                “Grand Admiral,” she asked, interrupting his thoughts, “do you paint?”

                “Sadly, I do not,” Thrawn answered. “I have never been given the time or opportunity to do so.”

                “Even when you were younger?” she asked. Now it was _her_ turn to pry into his past. If he was going to further their relationship, he knew he would need to be honest and open with her, especially with his past. He knew he could not reveal too much though; but over time, they would build trust. And with more trust would come more secrets.

                “Not even then,” Thrawn said. “In my society, there was never too much time for one to explore his or her own personal pursuits.”

                “And—if you don’t mind me asking, Grand Admiral—what society would that be?” she inquired. For a second, she looked as though she regretted asking. Perhaps she feared that her question was too audacious. And it would have been, if he had not felt the way he did about her.

                “My people,” Thrawn said, “the Chiss.” Lieutenant Rizzo’s face lit up with curiosity. “We hail from the Unknown Regions,” he continued, “Which is why you may have never heard of us.” She was still listening intently, so he continued. “They are a militaristic society. I served as a military leader during my time with them.”

                “What brought you to the Empire?” she asked.

                Whatever hesitation he felt, he did not show it. “I was exiled quite a few years ago. The Empire found me on a planet just outside the Outer Rim.” Her facial heat increased a little, and her expression turned sad at the mention of his exile. “They brought me to the Emperor, and he allowed me to join the Imperial Navy after seeing potential in me.”

                “I’m so sorry, Grand Admiral,” she said. “I did not know you were exiled, and I’m sorry if I unintentionally brought up a sensitive topic.”

                “No, my dear,” he was quick to answer. “I assure you, I am not offended or upset by your curiosity. I believe it will be important for us to learn more about each other.”

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said. “I hope that one day I can learn more about your people. They sound so interesting.”

                “You will, in time, Lieutenant. And I hope I will one done learn more about you in return,” he said.

                When they had finished their meal, he walked her back to her room. He noticed that she had yet to say anything about her attacker being found and punished. Perhaps she did not know yet? Nevertheless, he remained quiet about it, hoping she would find out on her own time. After leaving her, he had returned to his quarters, feeling somewhat empty with the void of her absence.

                As he reminisced about that night during his walk from the bridge to his office, he wondered if he had shared too much about his past with her. She was one of the few things in his life that he felt sure about, but he still needed to build trust with her. Regardless of his feelings for her, he needed her as an ally. And perhaps, like Eli, she would one day become one. He was playing a dangerous and delicate game with the Empire, and he would need only the most trusting and capable individuals on his side.

~ ▪ ~

                Elena stood at the bottom of the square-shaped pit, ready for the last round of her training session. At least once a week she made an effort to workout. Bored with lifting weights, she decided to try something new today. She pressed the remote in the corner of the pit, activating a series of horizontally moving platforms. They were positioned within the pit’s walls and activated randomly. Her objective was to climb out of the pit using the moving platforms. Despite it being an exercise only given to stormtrooper cadets at the academy, she was enjoying it very much.

                But with each passing round, however, the exercise became less of a workout to her and more of an experiment. As she scaled the platforms with each round, she realized something strange—she seemed to be very successful at guessing which platforms were about to appear. A little too successful. It was like she could feel a nascent presence just before a platform left the wall. She even tried jumping in midair towards where she believed a platform would appear; and each time, she would guess correctly and land on it just in time.

                _There_ , she thought, feeling that strange tug seconds before it appeared. She landed perfectly, reaching the top of the pit. Breathless and sweaty from the workout, she deactivated the platforms and left for the showers.

                Grabbing her shampoo, conditioner, and soap, she turned the shower on, and her thoughts raced wildly. _Why was I able to do that?_ She thought as she washed her hair. There had been similar instances during her time in the slums—usually sensing when dangerous people were just around a street corner, or somehow knowing when someone meant harm to her or her friends— but they were easily passed off as lucky guesses and having an exceptional sixth sense. But this—this was spooky. Nobody was _that_ good at guessing. It disturbed her, but she knew she would have to keep investigating it. What if it had a connection with her lost memories? Maybe she could try again next week, if she was feeling brave enough.

                Once she finished her shower, she changed into her clean uniform and dried her hair. As she tied her russet waves back into a loose bun, her datapad pinged with a message. Grand Admiral Thrawn was summoning her to his office. He had new information on the rebels he wanted to share with her.

                Her heart beat a little faster. The last time she had seen him, he had invited her to dinner, drank wine with her, and walked her back to her room. It embarrassed her, but she couldn’t help herself from thinking how much it had felt like a date. _No, you’re being ridiculous again_ , she thought _. He was just being polite. You are his aide. He doesn’t feel that way about you._ She shook her head. Why did that last statement feel so much like a lie?

                Dismissing her irksome thoughts, she made her way towards the Grand Admiral’s office.

~ ▪ ~

                “Here is an image captured by one of our scouts,” the Grand Admiral displayed a holograph of a Liberator-class cruiser. “Tell me, Lieutenant, what do you see?”

                Elena studied the picture, noticing the red discoloration. “The bottom of the ship is heavily stained by either red clay or dust, I believe.”

                “Precisely,” the Grand Admiral pressed a button, replacing the cruiser’s image with a holomap of suspected planets. “Their other ships had the same discolorations as well, which leads me to believe their base is on one of our red mineral planets.”

                “There were only three planets with red minerals: Mortesh, Crait, and Naitan,” Elena added. “They are all uninhabited. No other planets, including the habited ones, have red minerals or even reddish dirt.”

                “Then I do believe we have our culprit,” the Grand Admiral smirked.

                “But won’t we still need to narrow down these remaining three?” Elena asked.

                “Yes, and we can right now.” The Grand Admiral highlighted the three planets red to discern them from the others and then brought up the trajectories of the hyperspace lanes used by the rebel ships. The trajectories intersected perfectly with one of the three planets. “As you can see, Lieutenant, if these rebels had been smart, they would have made several hyperspace jumps in order to throw us off. However, they chose to jump straight to the planet, making it much easier to track their movements,” he zoomed in on the map. “Before, they could have been hiding on any of the several planets these trajectories intersect with. However, now that we only have three planets left to choose from, we have discovered our culprit.” He zoomed in on the planet again. “I believe this is Crait, is it not?”

                “They’re on Crait,” Elena said. It was one of the very planets she had used as an example for her presentation.

                “Excellent work, Lieutenant,” Thrawn said. He activated his commlink. “Commander Waller, deploy the fleet to the coordinates I’m sending you. We’ve found our rebels.”

~ ▪ ~

                The insurgents hadn’t stood even the slightest of a chance.

                Once Elena and Grand Admiral Thrawn reached the bridge, the Chimaera and the rest of the Seventh Fleet jumped to hyperspace, landing right in front of the dusty red and white planet.

                The rebels had been prepared though. Within a few minutes of their arrival, rebel ships emerged into view, hoping to escape through hyperspace. But with two Interdictor cruisers in Admiral Thrawn’s fleet, the rebels had no way of making a jump.

                The Grand Admiral executed swift and effective attacks, forcing the rebels to return to their base. Once he pinpointed the base’s location, he commenced an orbital bombardment, green lasers raining down on the planet’s surface. After waiting a couple of minutes for the dust to settle, he sent a ground team who reported no rebel survivors. Most of their ships and buildings were destroyed.

                Elena was awestruck. Hearing about the Grand Admiral’s victories was one thing; but actually seeing him in action was entirely another. He was terrifyingly brilliant. It showed in his confidence, on his officer’s faces, and in his results. It was the very thing that drew Elena to him. The dominance in his stance. That suave, satisfied look on his face in knowing that he had orchestrated his enemy’s defeat. It was seductive. She looked away, her thoughts of him making her feel exposed. She could deny all she wanted, but she knew she wanted him. But, she thought sadly, unless he confessed to her first that he felt the same, she would have to continue hiding her true feelings.

~ ▪ ~

                “Fantastic work today, Lieutenant,” Thrawn said.

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” his aide answered. “But it was your brilliance that ousted the rebels, not mine.”

                “On the contrary, Lieutenant,” he said, “you assisted me with deducing which planet they were hiding on. That is more deserving of praise than you think.” She smiled a little.

                He decided to invite her to dine with him again, as a way to celebrate their victory. Once they finished their meal, he walked her to the front door. He decided—against his better wishes—not to walk her to her room since it was not during late hours.

                “Now Lieutenant, before I dismiss you, I must ask—for scheduling purposes—are you attending the Empire Day ball?”

                “I am,” she answered, “the fifth one.”

                “Ah, that is the one I will attend as well. I’m certain you have a beautiful dress picked out?”

                Her facial heat increased a little bit as she blushed. He saw a glint of worry in her eye. “Well, I’m still deciding, but I’ll hopefully have one picked out soon,” she answered.

                “I do look forward to seeing you there, Lieutenant,” he said. She smiled coyly. That same smile that had enchanted him when he first saw her academy file.

                She was almost out the door when she turned. “Oh, Grand Admiral?”

                “Yes, Lieutenant?”

                “Thank you,” she said, “for catching the Ensign who harassed me.”

                He was beginning to wonder when she would mention it. “No thanks are required, my dear. It is my duty to protect my Officer’s Aide.”

                She smiled again. “Goodnight, Grand Admiral.”

                “Goodnight, my dear.” And with that, she left.

                He stared at the door she left through, his thoughts focusing on the fast approaching Empire Day Ball. Normally he preferred not to participate in such social gatherings, but he would make an exception this year. He pictured how she would look in an elegant ball gown, his tunic and pants hiding his aching desire at the thought. But he thought back to her origins, and her worried look when she said she had not decided on a dress yet. It was only 1951 hours, only a few minutes until the Chimaera’s credits office closed. He reached for his commlink.

                “This is Grand Admiral Thrawn. I do hope it is not too late to make a credits transfer.”

                “Oh…not at all, Grand Admiral, sir,” the woman answered timidly. “What would you like for us to do?”

                “I would like to transfer 1000 credits from my account to the account of one of my subordinates.”

                “Certainly, sir. What is the name of the recipient?”

                “Elena Rizzo, a First Lieutenant. Have the credits transferred to the account she makes her payments from. And, please keep this confidential. I do not want her to know it was from me.”

                “Of course, Grand Admiral. If she asks, we’ll just tell her it’s a first assignment bonus check.”

                “Thank you for your help,” he said. And with that, he ended the comm.

                He closed his eyes and exhaled. It was ridiculous. He was one of the Empire’s most cunning and ruthless leaders, and all it took was this one beautiful woman to make him weak.

                He looked at his holoclock. It wasn’t too late, and he knew no one would disturb him at this hour. Retiring to his bedroom, he lay down on his bed, and his thoughts swirled with images of his aide as he gave in to his desire.

~ ▪ ~

                _2230 hours_ her datapad read. Elena groaned and shut her tired eyes. It was late, and she knew she was going to be tired tomorrow. But she couldn’t stop her anxiety over the Empire Day Ball. She opened her eyes and stared at the bright screen of her datapad, which displayed the three dresses she had to choose from. But it wasn’t a matter of which dress she wanted most, it was the credits.

                _800 credits_ , it stated below the royal blue gown she wanted so badly. The last time she checked, she had about 550 since joining the _Chimaera_. Why did this dress, which she was only going to wear once, have to be so damn expensive?

                Switching over to her credits account, she decided to do a little math. If she currently had 550, and the Ball was a little over a month away, maybe she would have just enough in about… _What?_ Her jaw dropped at a recent update in her account.

                _1000 credits?!_ She thought. A first assignment bonus? There was no way. No one had ever mentioned a bonus pay to her before. And even if there was a bonus, it would never be _this_ much money. Maybe it was a mistake? She decided that she would check with the credits office tomorrow, but a big part of her hoped it wasn’t a mistake. _If it’s not_ , she thought, _I’ll be able to buy that dress after all_.

As she drifted to sleep, she dreamt she was at the ball. Wearing the royal blue, strapless gown she wanted so much, she stepped onto the ballroom floor, and saw him. The Grand Admiral stood waiting for her, offering his hand. When she placed her hand into his, he expertly pulled her into an elegant dance.


	6. The Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After weeks of anticipation, the day of the Imperial Ball arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter includes sexual content and is NSFW.
> 
> Also, here are some notes before you read:  
> *A small detail I forgot to include in Chapter 5: Elena's bruise is long gone by now. I meant to include a little blurb that it had faded, but forgot.  
> *I also just realized that the name Elena can have two pronunciations. In this story, her name is pronounced Ee-lay-na (like the main character from Vampire Diaries).

                Every year, around this time, the planet of Coruscant lit up with lavish parties and flashing lights. Imperial ships from all over the galaxy surrounded the planet, and opulent parades filled the city streets. For years, Elena had watched it from afar, wonderment filling her teenage and young adult eyes. Never did she think that she would one day be a part of it.

                But today was that day. The day of the Fifth Empire Day Ball filled her with awe as she approached the entrance to the Alisandre Hotel, the location of the ball. The hotel boasted one of the biggest ballrooms in the Federal District, and she could not wait to see the inside.

                “You look so amazed,” Lieutenant Lyste laughed. He wore a lavish, black dress uniform, his rank plate proudly displayed on his chest. Although, his prideful look was less concentrated on his rank than it was on the girl holding onto his arm.

                “Well, it’s not every day one gets an invitation to an imperial ball,” she said, still looking all around at that lights.  

                “It truly is remarkable,” he said, admiring the scene with her.

                As they stood in line to gain access to the ball, Elena looked down and straightened her dress. Thanks to the mysterious 1000 extra credits she received, she was able to buy the royal blue, strapless gown she had wanted so much.  The sweetheart bodice was dotted with tiny, delicate faux diamonds, mimicking the night sky. The gown’s long skirt stopped just above the toe of her sparkling high heels and had a knee-high slit on the right. More of the small, faux diamonds traced elegant patterns on the bottom of the skirt. It was the nicest thing she had ever owned. Aside from the dress, she wore her name bracelet, the gold catching the rainbow of lights from above. The only makeup she wore was a ruby red lip stain and black mascara, which—along with the dress—intensified the sapphire hue of her eyes. A few stray curls framed her face while she wore the rest of her hair in a half up-do: some of her long, wavy hair hitting just above the small of her back while the upper half was twisted into an elegant bun; and holding the bun in place was her blue bandanna, which she cherished just as much as her bracelet. A heartbreaking relic of an old, dear friend, she had wanted to incorporate it in her outfit. It may have been worn and tattered, but she had found a way to make it look just as lovely as the rest of her.

                When they made their way inside, Elena was engulfed with the enormity of it all. The foyer of the hotel was breathtaking. Shimmering black and white tiles and blood red wall-length curtains decorated the gargantuan room. They walked up the grand staircase, and found themselves in what looked like a never-ending ballroom. Elaborate lights and finery decorated the semi-darkened room while speakers filled its atmosphere with elegant and ethereal music, which could be heard all over the hotel.

                “Well,” Lyste said, “Now that we’ve made it inside,” he extended his hand to her, “May I?”

                “You may,” she said. Placing her hand in his, they began their dance. He was delicate with her, trying his hardest not to jerk her around. Though she enjoyed dancing with him, she had secretly hoped that he would have taken charge a little more. For a few moments, it felt as though she was leading him, and they lost their tempo a couple of times.

                Once they finished, he motioned them towards a table filled with colorful and exotic-looking drinks. “Shall we?” he asked. She followed, and they grabbed their choice of beverage. “Any idea as to when your friend will arrive?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink. 

                “She should be here soon,” she said, checking her commlink screen. “Thank you for understanding, by the way.”

                “Of course,” Lyste said. “I know you haven’t seen her in a long time. And I actually have quite a few friends from my academy days here that I want to catch up with. Please take your time.” Just as he finished, her commlink pinged with a message.

                “Well, that’s her,” Elena said. “Could we meet back up, say, in thirty minutes?”

                “That would be perfect,” he said. “I’ll message you then.” And with that, he was swallowed up by the enormous crowd.

                Once he was out of sight, Elena felt oddly alone amidst all the cacophony and twirling ball gowns. She edged her way towards the perimeter of the dance floor and walked up a staircase leading to a second floor balcony. From up there, she had a great view of the ballroom. After messaging Janali her location, she started scanning the crowd, and that’s when she saw Grand Admiral Thrawn.

                He wore an immaculate white dress uniform, his insignia plate clearly visible on his chest. In every way it looked the same as his regular grand admiral uniform; however, the gold shoulder bars had been replaced with golden epaulets, and a gold trim decorated his collar. Instead of his black boots, he wore shiny black dress shoes. She leaned against the balcony bar as she watched him, admiring how attractive he looked. He was talking to an older gentleman with white hair and a white mustache whose name she did not know. She would have continued to stare if a light tap on her should had not made her jump.

                “Scared you,” Janali teased.

                “Janali!” The two women embraced in a tight hug.

                “Elle! You look beautiful!”

                “You do too!” Elena said. “So where’s this date you’ve told me all about.”

                Janali turned Elena towards the ballroom entrance. “ _Right_ …there. Tall, hot blond next to the girl in the red dress.” Elena looked and saw an extremely tall commander talking with a couple of high-ranking officers.

                “A _commander_? Janali? How?” Elena laughed. Janali just winked.

                “Oh come now, commander is not as good as _grand admiral_ ,” Janali said.

                Elena laughed. “I already told you, I came here with Lieutenant Lyste.”

                “Oh yeah…where is he?” Janali asked.

                “You’ll meet him soon,” she said. “He knew I’d want to spend time with you, so he went off to talk with some academy buddies of his.”

                “The perfect opportunity for _you_ ,” Janali turned Elena towards where Grand Admiral Thrawn was, “to ask your boyfriend to dance.”

                “Janali! Don’t say that so loud!” That was when she started to smell the alcohol, “have you been drinking?”

                Janali laughed. “Only a little.” Just then, she grabbed a pink, bubbly drink from one of the passing servant’s trays. “Here, this will give you courage,” she said, offering the drink.

                “Well, that makes two now,” Elena joked.

                “Actually, that one you have is disgusting. Trust me, you’ll like this one a lot better,” Janali said. Taking a sip, Elena agreed.

                “Now, drink about half of that and then ask him to dance,” Janali laughed. Elena took another small sip of her drink and looked back at Thrawn, who was now talking with Grand Moff Tarkin. “Oh, _no_ problem,” she turned back to Janali, “Just let me walk right up to Grand Admiral Thrawn with Grand Moff Tarkin standing there and ask him to dance.” The two women laughed hysterically at the idea.

                After twenty minutes of catching up, Elena was half-way through her drink, and Janali’s date had returned. Elena shook hands with Commander Somer, who had come back to ask his date to dance. Janali promised Elena that she would be back shortly.

                Left alone and with a slight buzz, Elena glided back down to the ballroom floor, watching the dancing couples and the imperial nobility. It seemed like everyone important was at this one event. Senators, admirals, and moffs littered the enormous room. Men arrogantly displayed their rank plates while women dripped in jewels and finery. _Stars I don’t belong here_ , she thought as she clutched her drink. She took another sip, just now noticing how fast she had gone through it. _Damn_ , she thought as she remembered her embarrassingly low tolerance. She went back over to the edge of the ballroom floor to orient herself when she was suddenly overcome with a strange sensation.

                She suddenly felt so cold and empty. The music and chatter started to fade, and a faint ambience rang in her ears. The sensation rippled through her, like icy waves filling her with dread, and she knew that the alcohol had nothing to do with it. “What is this…” she said quietly to herself as she pressed her fingers against her temple. She started to shiver a little, but this cold was different. It was foreign, invading her body with its frigid energy. That’s when she felt a disembodied presence to her left, like someone was standing right beside her. She turned to look, but saw nothing but dancing couples and a refreshment table. _What is happening to me,_ she thought. She took a breath and cleared her mind, and soon the music started to sound more clearly again as the sensation dissipated. 

                “There you are,” Lyste said. Her eyes widened as she gasped. “Are you alright, Elena?” he asked.

                She turned to look at him. “Yes, yes,” she said. “Uh, Janali had wandered off, I was scanning the crowd for her and became a little too focused.”

                “Ah, well, perhaps I’ll meet her before the night is over,” he said. He noticed the drink in Elena’s hands. “So, you like them too,” he had the same drink as her, except his was almost empty.

                “Yes, it’s very good,” she giggled a little, alcohol running through her.

                He raised an eyebrow. “Are you buzzed already?” he smiled a little.

                A blush dusted her cheeks as she looked away. “Maybe just a little,” she laughed. He soon joined her laughter, putting his arm around her after he finished his drink.

                “How about we dance some more?” he said. “Here, I can get you a new drink afterwards.” She handed him her half-empty cup and he left to dispose of it. Once he was out of sight, Elena heard an all-too familiar voice behind her.

                “Lieutenant Rizzo, you look very lovely this evening,” the Grand Admiral said.

                She turned to face him, becoming shyer due to her buzzed state and from the copious amount of people in the room. For some reason, she could only be herself around the Grand Admiral when they were alone. With others nearby, she felt uncomfortable, like she was sharing something intimate with the rest of the world.

                “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said. “You look quite handsome yourself.” Adrenaline stabbed her heart. Perhaps this alcohol was making her a bit _too_ brave, but at least she still had her graceful poise.

                He smiled, a look of amusement on his face. “I was hoping I could share a dance with you, Lieutenant.” She thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest. “But, not here. I have something else in mind.” Intrigued, she started to ask, but Lyste had come back.

                “Honestly, there are no trash cans in here at all,” he said.

                “Lieutenant Lyste,” the Grand Admiral said. Lyste looked up, surprised to see him. “I’m afraid I will need to borrow Lieutenant Rizzo from you. The Emperor has requested my presence and has informed me that he would like to meet my Officer’s Aide as well.” She kept her face as stoic as possible after hearing the lie, but the mere thought of it amused her. _Me_ , she thought, _meeting the emperor. How hilariously terrifying._

                “Oh,” Lyste said. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, but it was clear he was disappointed about her departure. “Of course, Grand Admiral, sir.”

                “Thank you, Lieutenant,” the Grand Admiral said. Understanding, Lyste made his way back to his academy friends, and the Grand Admiral led her to a lift.  

~ ▪ ~

                “This is beautiful,” Elena said, looking up at the night sky.

                “Yes,” he said, not taking his eyes off of her, “It is.” They stood on a spacious balcony that overlooked the city’s skyline. The Grand Admiral, along with other high-ranking officials, had each been given a luxurious private suite free of charge for the evening. Elena had her left hand wrapped around another drink she had managed to grab before entering the elevator. The Grand Admiral held on to a glass of something that looked a little stronger.

                “So,” the admiral asked, “This has been your home for the past ten years.”

                “It has,” she said, admiring the cityscape. “I never would have dreamed I would one day be mingling among the nobility though.” She stared out into the city, focusing on the music playing through the balcony’s speakers. Even from floors above, they could still listen to the ballroom’s music. “So, I take it we’re not meeting the emperor tonight?” she asked, amusement in her voice.

                “Fortunately, no,” he answered, equally amused. As she continued to admire the sky, he stole one last glance at her before he broke the silence.

                “May I?” he asked, motioning for her drink. She handed it to him, and he placed both their drinks on a small table nearby. “Now, my dear,” his tone grew softer, but still held its command, “I do believe I had asked you to dance, did I not?” he said, offering his hand to her. It was so surreal, and so much like that dream she had weeks ago. With nothing holding her back, she placed her hand into his, and they danced. He led her so expertly and moved with grace. They glided around the balcony, the stars above dotting the dark sky.

                Still feeling the fleeting bravery of the alcohol, she broke the silence. “Where did you learn to dance so well?”

                He smiled a bit. “Living among humans, I’ve had to learn many new things. Dancing was one of them.” He twirled her, and brought her in close again. They looked into each other’s eyes, and she could have sworn his had softened. “Where did you learn, Lieutenant?” he smoothly asked.

                The corner of her mouth went up slightly as she remembered a fond memory. Looking back at the Coruscanti skyline, she said, “An old friend taught me.” The music changed, replaced by a slower, more intimate-sounding song. Instinctively, they slowed their dance. He moved his hands to her waist, and she moved hers to his shoulders, her fingers lightly brushing the back of his neck. He closed his eyes for just a second, like he was trying to regain his composure.

                 “Grand Admiral?” she asked.

                “Yes, Lieutenant?” His eyes were locked on hers.

                She already knew the answer, but decided to play along with the game. “Why bring me all the way up here just to dance?”

                “Because, Elena, my dear,” he said, “I don’t like sharing.” Suddenly, they both stopped, and her heart thundered. They were so close. He had his arms around her, and her hands rested against his chest, feeling the cold metal of his insignia plate against her right hand. She looked into his eyes, which were full of lust and desire.

                “Grand Admiral…I…” she started to say, but she could not find the words as he leaned in closer. For a second she hesitated, knowing full well that there was no turning back once it was done. But with his lips only a centimeter from hers, she gave in, closing the space between them.

                His kiss sent sparks through her body. For what felt like minutes, she became unaware of her surroundings, all of her focus on the man before her. For a second, she thought she would lose her balance, but he had held her tight. And when they finally pulled away, they were both breathless.

                “Grand Admiral,” she said softly, her face still so close to his, “what are you doing?” Her coy voice sounded so innocent.

                His eyes, which terrified so many, looked upon her with such warmth and affection. “Something that I have wanted to do for quite some time now,” he said as he gently played with her hair. He possessively curled one of her locks around his finger.

                And that’s when she felt it, the sudden security in knowing her suspicions of him had been confirmed. All those weeks of built up denial started to burst, like cracks in a dam.

                She returned his gaze, mimicking his lustful look in her own eyes. “Then why did you stop?”

                And with that one final blow, the dam burst open.

                He held her tighter, and kissed her passionately. She gripped his shoulders as she kissed him back, electricity coursing through her. With her right hand, she laced her fingers through his blue hair, and he deepened the kiss, a low moan escaping from him. Despite how taut his muscles were, he held her gently, and she realized—nervously—that he was holding back. As they continued their passionate embrace, she began to notice so many things about him. How soft his hair felt, how powerful his arms were, and how he seemed to lose just an ounce of control every time she lightly ran her fingertips over the back of his neck. Resting her hands on his broad chest, she could feel just how strong he was beneath his uniform.

                She did not know when they had ended up inside the suite, or how they had ended up on the bed, but what she did know was just how badly she wanted him. He lay on top of her, one hand holding the back of her head, and the other gripping the back of her thigh. He had not yet made an effort to remove her dress, and that’s when she realized that he was waiting for _her_ to deal the next move. She felt all around his chest and back, feeling for buttons or a zipper.

                He pulled himself away from their kiss, a look of smug amusement on his face as he pulled the uniform over his head, revealing his broad, well-built shoulders and chest. As he fell back onto her with another passionate kiss, his toned arms held her close, making her feel small. The alcohol had long since passed, but she still felt one more sliver of bravery. With her free hand, she gently grabbed his erection, causing him to grunt in pleasure. But instead of letting her continue, he grabbed her hand and lifted her up.

                He pulled her close, their foreheads touching. They were panting wildly. “I have impeccable self-control, my dear Elena,” his voice gruff with breathlessness, “But you are dangerously close to pushing me over my limits.” He gripped her arms tightly. “And if you do,” he continued, “I may not be able to control what I do next.”

                “I know what I want, Grand Admiral,” she said, both terror and want coursing through her.

                He gripped her chin, lifting her eyes to his. “My dear,” he said, still breathing heavy, “I do believe we are _well_ past the point of addressing each other formally.” He gently stroked the side of her mouth with his thumb, his eyes wild with desire. “Now, Elena,” he said, barely above a whisper, “What _is_ it that you want?”

                His grip on her arms was so strong, she couldn’t move. “I want you,” she said.

                He lessened his grip just a bit. “Even though you’ve never done something like this before?”

                She looked into his eyes. “It’s true,” she said, “I haven’t.” She blushed wildly. She supposed it was no secret to him that she was inexperienced. But with certainty in her eyes, she brought her hand to his face, caressing his cheek. “But I have never felt so sure of anything else before.” Their noses brushed, and she found her courage again. “I want you, Thrawn.”

                He exhaled, his hands pressing against her back. “Very well, my dear,” he said. “You shall have me.” He pulled her in for another kiss as he reached for her dress’s zipper.

~ ▪ ~

                It had hurt at first, but more so from her initial shock at the contact. He moved slowly though, leading her as he did when they danced, and they soon found their rhythm. She continued to lightly graze the back of his neck with her fingertips, feeling him weaken ever so slightly. She closed her eyes and exhaled as he ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her neck.

                It became so abundantly clear to her that he knew exactly what he was doing when she started to feel something.

                “Thrawn,” she breathed. He sped up only a little, gauging her comfort level so he wouldn’t hurt her. Euphoria coursed through her when she finally came. And only seconds after her, he did too, a small grunt escaping his lips. After they finished, he buried his face against her neck, panting. They stayed like that for what felt like a long time, until he finally caught his breath. Her eyelids were beginning to droop, and she looked at the chrono on the nightstand. 0143 hours, it read. Jan must be worried sick, she thought.

                The soft touch of him playing with her hair pulled her attention away from the chrono. He had a loving look in his eyes as he took in the details of her face. “You are so beautiful,” he said. Laying her head on her pillow, she faced him, a small smile playing on her lips as she closed her tired eyes. That same, silly, closed mouth smile she made whenever she didn’t know what to say.

                “Will you stay with me tonight?” he asked quietly, still playing with her hair.

                “Yes,” she whispered, sleep starting to overtake her. He pulled her close so that her head rested on his chest, and the two drifted to sleep.

~ ▪ ~

                In the early hours of the morning, just as the stars started to flee from the dawning light, his ship had arrived. Darth Vader, clad in black armor and a billowing black cape, made his way down the Imperial Palace’s hallways. When he finally reached his destination, he stepped forward and knelt before the throne.

                “Ah, Lord Vader,” the old Emperor said, “Thank you for answering my summons so quickly.”

                Darth Vader kept his head bowed. “What is it that you need, my master?” his mechanical voice filled the spacious and empty room.

                “Last night, I was meditating here in my chamber…when I sensed a presence from the imperial ball,” he said, a hideous smile forming on his face.

                Vader looked up, “a Force-sensitive?”

                “Yes,” the old man said, “From one of our own. And it is _strong_ with her.”

                “Are you certain, my master?” Vader asked. “Children of the Force are _always_ discovered before they can graduate from the academies.”

                “It seems that one was able to slip through the cracks,” the emperor said, amused. “I believe her talents will best suit the Empire not with the Navy, but with you.”

                “Do you know her name?” asked Vader.

                “No, she was too far away and among too many that I could not infiltrate her mind," he still had that horrible smile plastered on his wrinkled face, like he knew something that he had no intentions of sharing with his apprentice.

                “How should we proceed with finding this girl?” Vader inquired.

                “That is a job I assign to you, my apprentice,” the old emperor said. “Are there any more urgent matters concerning the Death Star project?”

                “There are a few, but they should not take long,” Vader answered.

                “Excellent,” he said. “Once your matters are dealt with, I want you to visit each of the fleets and task forces who were invited here tonight for…’inspection.’ When you find the girl, bring her to me.”

                “Yes, my master,” Vader answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was my first time ever writing about a sexual situation, so please by all means leave constructive criticism so I can improve my writing. This chapter was honestly a tough one to write. 
> 
> Looks like Vader has made an appearance! That can't be good though...
> 
> We're only a chapter away from the events of Rebels season 3. I'm going to stay very true to the plot and dialogue, but there will still be some obvious changes in order to fit Elena into the story. And again, thank you for all the kudos and comments :)!


	7. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena and Thrawn share an intimate moment and their relationship progresses. The rebels make their first move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, since I last left you guys with that foreboding Vader scene in chapter 6, I thought I'd throw a lot of romance in this one. Warning though, as it contains NSFW content.

               Thrawn awoke at 0447 hours, the sky still as black as it was hours ago. Brilliant neon and the gleam from passing speeders crept through the window shutters, striping the dark room with light.

               Elena must have moved at some point, because she was now curled up next to him in a tiny ball, her back against his side. Trying his best not to wake her, he lightly stroked her soft, tussled hair. Admittedly, he had gambled when he brought her up here, not really expecting the night to go as far as it had. But nothing could have made him happier. And when she would wake, he hoped that she would feel the same, because he was very much looking forward to having many more nights like this. His only regret was that they were not back on the _Chimaera_ in his own bed.

               He continued to gently play with her hair when he felt a piece of fabric come loose from what was left of her bun. Using one of the slivers of city light, he held it up to get a better look. It looked like a blue tattered rag; definitely not an accessory to the dress, but instead what he believed was a personal belonging of hers. Small holes cratered the faded material, and some of its threads hung loose at the frayed edges. Nevertheless, it was clean and, despite its current state, looked like it was well taken care of. But one did not keep such a ruined possession unless it had significant meaning to the owner. Grabbing the corners, he got a better look and saw the initials “T.R.” monogramed on the lower left corner.

               She began to stir lightly, her eyes peeking open only to immediately close again. _Too early_ , her expression read. Laying the rag back beside her, he gently combed a finger through her hair. Her eyes fluttered for a second as she looked at him, her facial heat increasing as a blush began to form. She started to smile, but averted her gaze, using the covers to hide the lower half of her face. She never ceased to arouse his amusement.

               “You know your shyness only excites me,” he said in a low voice. She laughed softly, red with bashfulness as she turned the other way. Yes, he was very much looking forward to all the fun he was going to have at her expense.

               She turned back to face him. “I just did not…expect this to happen,” she said as a small smile started to form.

               He studied her face. “Nor was I,” he said, peering into her eyes.

               She returned his gaze, “Last night? Or…”

               “All of it,” he said. “My dear, please know that this is not the reason I chose you as my aide.” She continued to stare at him, listening intently. “When you first stepped foot onto my ship, I had no intentions of _anything_ of this sort.” He played with one of her curls, wrapping it around his finger. “But seldom does one decide which twists and turns will appear in their life's path.” His red eyes softened. “I was enchanted by you. I found myself missing your company whenever you left, my thoughts returning to you long after our meetings transpired.”

               She lightly touched his hand, “I admit that I was disappointed on the days when I didn’t get to see you.” She blushed under his smoldering stare. “There were so many things that drew me to you—that still draw me to you.” Her openness surprised him a bit, and he loved how she was finally emerging from her shell. “But there was that forbidden line of professionalism between us, and the fact that I didn’t know you felt that way about me.” He could hear her heartbeat, “But last night, I had never felt so sure of anything else in my life.”

               He continued to play with her hair, a devilish smirk appeared on his face. “I certainly wouldn’t mind having such encounters again.”

               Amused, she raised a brow. “You wouldn’t _mind_?” 

               “No,” he said, propping himself up on his elbow, “Not at all.” He kissed her softly, and then remembered that it had been her first time. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

               “Tired,” she said, with a small smile. “And a little sore, but happy.”

               “I did not…hurt you, did I?” he asked. She had been so easy for him to read last night, but he still had his doubts.

               “Only at first,” she said covering her chest with the covers, “But on the contrary…you did quite the opposite as the night went on.”

               He smiled just slightly as he remembered some of last night’s more lurid details. The soft moonlight of her skin pressed against the rigid blue of his. The way he had held her when he entered her slowly, trying his best to make it as painless as possible for her. And he had succeeded in the end. Determined to make her come, he had used his hands to pleasure her, speeding up his strokes when he could tell she was nearing. He wasn’t going to let her inexperience deprive her of such pleasures. As he reminisced, a thought occurred to him. He had taken something from her, but she had equally taken something from him—something that he could not place or describe with words, in Basic, Sy Bisti, or Cheunh. Something intimate and personal that he had never shared with anyone before, not even his previous lovers. He could feel a change in him, a dynamic that made him never want to let her go. And now it was imperative that he didn’t. Not just because he cared about her, but for her own safety. If his enemies ever learned about her, her life could be endangered. That reason alone was why he initially could not allow himself to fall in too deeply; but there had been no stopping it. She wasn’t like his past lovers on Csilla, no—she was so much more than that. More than just a fleeting, nameless face he could easily forget. She would forever hold a special place in his heart, no matter what would happen.

                Resurfacing from his thoughts, he turned back and noticed she was rapidly typing a message to someone on her commlink screen. He admired the curve of her back and her small, feminine shoulders. He traced his fingers down the curve at her waist, earning a small shiver and giggle from her. Placing her commlink down, she turned back to him and kissed him softly. But as she settled into his arms, her smile faded. “How much trouble will we get in for this?” she asked.

                “None, if we’re not discovered,” he said. “I’m afraid my rank may not be enough to help if our actions are deemed worthy of a court-martial.” He saw her eyes grow with worry. “But,” he said, pulling her close, “It may be beneficial in other ways.”

                “How so?” she asked.

                “You dare question a Grand Admiral?” he asked, teasingly. She laughed in understanding. “Oh trust me, my dear, we will find our way around.”

                She began to trace the outlines of his arm muscles with her index finger. “And I’m your Officer’s Aide,” she said, “So no one would suspect anything from the extra time spent together.”

                He sat up, pulling her with him, and peered into her eyes. “Please know that I’m not agreeing to keep this secret because I’m ashamed in any way.” He held one of her small, soft hands in his, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb.

                “I know,” she said, “I believe we will find our way around too.” Her expression changed. “Speaking of…how are we going to get back to the ship without looking suspicious?”

                “Simple,” he said. “You’ll put your dress back on, and take the lift down to the first floor,” he said, motioning towards the suite’s private lift in the foyer. “The festivities ended a couple of hours ago; no one will think anything if you’re still in your gown, nor will they know what floor you came from. I will wait an hour or two before departing.”

                Smirking, she eyed the dress laying at the foot of the bed. “I know it was you,” she said. He raised an eyebrow. “My ‘bonus pay?’” she said, an amused smile on her face.

                “Perceptive, aren’t we?” Thrawn teased, “You’re learning fast.”

                “I learn from you,” she said, resting her head back on the pillow. “I don’t understand though…how did you know I needed the money?”

                “When I had asked you if you were attending the dance,” he said, “I saw the worried expression in your eyes when you said you had not purchased one yet.” He lowered himself back onto his pillow. “But please know that I meant for it to be a gift, not a charity. I wanted you to enjoy last night free of worries or stress.”

                She looked at the blue gown. “It's so beautiful,” she said, "Thank you, Gr-Thrawn. Thank you. It's the loveliest gift I've ever received."

                "You're welcome, my dear," he said before kissing her cheek.

                A small laugh escaped her, “It seems so obvious now. The ensign you had court-martialed, the dinners, the dress…was it all a game leading up to this moment?”

                “Not so much a _game,_ than an art," he said. “And my hope is that this moment will not be the final brush stroke of the painting, but merely its beginning stages.” He tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

                The look in her eyes was enough to tell him that she felt the same.

                “Do you know why I study art, Elena?” he asked.

                “To better understand your adversaries,” she answered, a little thrown off by the question, “Their tactics, their motives…why they think the way they think.”

                “Correct,” he said. “And do you agree that art is only defined by its…visual facet?”

                She gave him a curious look. “No,” she said, “Art is composed of numerous facets—each one a different form of expression and feeling the others cannot possibly convey in the same manner.

                “Indeed,” he said. Her intellect was enough to spark a flame inside him. “But these facets are not just limited to the more obvious forms of expression, but consist of countless varieties the common mind would not readily consider as art.”

                She continued to look at him, enchanted by his words. “There is art in almost everything, my dear Elena. Art can exist in the most simplistic and mundane of actions to the most profound and transformative maneuvers. There is art in war, in love, in…temptation,” his eyes fixated on her. “And I do daresay that there is artistry in such…primal instincts, as well.” The look she gave him was pure fire, his words only fanning the flames. “One can learn so much more than you think from art, my dear, not just their enemies’ tactics.”

                “Then perhaps we will learn a lot about each other,” she said.

                He gazed at the chrono. “I believe a few more minutes will not jeopardize us,” he said, pure lust in his voice. “If you’d like for me to show you more.”

                She shifted a bit, and winced slightly.

                He became worried. “Are you sure I did not hurt you?”

                “You didn’t,” she said, “It’s not that bad at all, honestly. Though I’m not sure…” disappointment started to show on her face.

                “It’s nothing to worry about,” he said, gently brushing a knuckle against her cheek, “There are a thousand ways to paint a picture, my dear,” his lust-coated words bringing her eyes back up to his, “I think I know something that you’ll like.”

                “And what would that be,” she said, her eyes burning with desire and need.

                The look Thrawn gave her was wicked and hungry enough that she laughed and blushed wildly as he yanked the sheets over their heads.

~ ▪ ~

                “Are you sure about this, Ezra?” Captain Hera Syndulla leaned against the holonet port, a worried expression on her face. The sun hung high in the Atollon sky, and the base buzzed with activity. “It’s been a while since we’ve pulled off any major operations. And I still don’t trust Hondo…”

                “Of course I’m sure,” Ezra said. “Hera, trust me, Hondo’s intel is good. We _need_ that information.”

                She looked down for a minute, thinking it over before reluctantly sighing. “Well, if it’s as good as you’re saying, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get back out there. And it’s no secret that we could all use the extra ships…”

                “Great! So, it’s a go?” Ezra asked.

                “As soon as we brief everyone else and come up with a plan, it’ll be a go,” Hera said with a small smile.

~ ▪ ~

                It had been four days since the Imperial Ball. The _Chimaera_ had returned to its designated area in the Outer Rim, and duties began resuming as normal.

                And every day since then, Elena saw Thrawn every evening. And morning, and afternoon. And during every moment they could spare from their imperial obligations. That first taste had left her addicted, and Elena found that she could not wait until her duties were completed for the day.

                It hadn’t taken her body all that long to adjust to this new form of art he had introduced her to, and each day they savored every minute that could spare. As she made her way to his office, her thoughts ran wildly over the blur of the past few days. The way they were never able to make it to his bed, too eager to feel one another. Or the way he had hungrily pressed her up against the wall, making love to her right there in his office. He had left his uniform on that time, per her request. Something about seeing him in that white uniform stirred something wild inside her. And she loved how his hands felt on her; the mere thought of his touch was enough to turn her into a feral beast. It should be a crime to have such gifted fingers, and _his mouth_ …thinking about what he did to her the morning after the ball brought a burning red to her cheeks. And to think only a few months ago she was only having dreams of him. Now she was on her way to his office, one hour before lights out, to spend her first night with him in his bed.

                They decided spending the night in his room once a week would be safe enough to not attract too much attention. He informed her that his guards changed every four hours and never bothered telling each other if the Grand Admiral had visitors or not. If she arrived one hour before lights out and left around 0800 hours in the morning, the same guard would never see her, and the morning guard would just think she had been summoned before his shift started. The thought of such sneakiness scared her a little—she had always been naturally paranoid—but it definitely would not top the terror she felt leaving Thrawn’s room the morning after ball.

                She thought back to that stressful morning. They had finished around 0549 hours when she finally—albeit reluctantly— put her ball gown back on, grabbed her belongings, and kissed him goodbye before taking the lift back down to the lobby. That brief separation from him caused a pang in her chest, but she knew they would see each other soon. She saw very few people in the lobby and made an effort to avoid all eye contact. After what had happened, she felt naked, like these strangers somehow knew what she had done. Outside the hotel, she took a transport ship back to the _Chimaera_ , and checked her comms again. She silently thanked herself for sending a message to both Jan and Yogar once she had entered Thrawn’s hotel room. She had messaged Yogar that she would not be able to use her comm once in the Emperor’s palace and how sorry she was for the unexpected invitation. He replied—to her relief—that he completely understood, and said he’d see her at lunch the next day like always. Part of her wanted to cry from the guilt—he was her date, after all. _How will I be able to look him in the eye?_ she thought.  It was such a sharp juxtaposition to the story Janali received, one that apparently merited twenty comm messages that Elena answered immediately after waking up. She knew that she would have a lot of explaining to do tomorrow during their weekly comm session. But amidst all the chaos, her head had stayed clear enough to remind her of something important. After changing into her uniform back on the ship, she had made her way to medical, where she was privately given a six-month supply of birth control, with—thankfully—no questions asked. Even though Thrawn was not human, he was still near-human, and she did not want to risk finding out if humans and Chiss were compatible.

                She shoved her thoughts aside as she approached his office door and checked her pocket. The datachip was still there. Thrawn had requested that she show him the rest of her artwork tonight, and compiling it onto a chip seemed much more practical than lugging nine canvases around. Pocketing the chip, she handed the stormtrooper her code cylinder.

                “Thank you, Lieutenant,” he said, handing it back. The door sprung open.

                When she made her way into his office, she saw Thrawn seated at his desk, the room filled with holograms of artwork, a ship, and the faces of five individuals who looked oddly familiar to her.

                “Good evening, my dear,” he said, shutting off all the holograms. He walked over to where she stood, those brilliant red eyes glued to her. “I have some very exciting news for you.”

                She stopped. “You do?”

                He stopped right before her and pulled a cloth out of his tunic pocket. “I believe congratulations are in order,” he said as he unwrapped the cloth, revealing a rank plate, “Lieutenant Commander.”

                Elena’s eyes gleamed with surprise. “A promotion?” she said as she studied the shining new plate. Unlike her four-squared lieutenant plate, this one had six—three red squares on top and three blue squares on bottom.

                “The Empire deemed your hand in the destruction of Crait’s rebel base worthy of praise,” Thrawn said.

                She took the plate from his outstretched hand. “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said, falling back into her old habit.

                “Hmph,” he laughed, “My dear, you’re going to have to get used to not using my title when we’re alone.” His eyes took on a lustful gaze, the red only intensifying it. “Here,” he said, that seductive voice stirring the butterflies in her stomach, “Allow me the honor of pinning it to you.” But instead of stepping towards her, he stepped behind her, causing her heart to race. She closed her eyes as he pulled down her uniforms collar, placing light kisses on her neck as he undid her lieutenant pin. The feel of his breath and feather-light kisses on her skin ignited a slow burning fire between her legs. Once he had her new rank plate pinned on, he turned her around to face him, tilting her chin up so she would meet his eyes.

                “Congratulations, Commander,” he said. _Stars_ , she thought as he pulled her into a deep, sensual kiss, liquefying her in his arms. Why did he have to be so damn good at this? She reached for his belt, fiddling with the buckle, but he stopped her. “Not quite yet, my dear Elena,” he said, the sound of her name spoken by his low, sultry voice only furthering her undoing, “Not until you show me the rest of your artwork.”

                She exhaled slowly, her hands resting on his chest. “As you wish, Thrawn.”

                He led her into his private quarters, where she was greeted by a lovely surprise. The lights were dimmed, and two glasses of deep red wine lay waiting for them on the table in front of a luxurious sofa. And in front of the sofa and table was a holoport, similar to the one on his desk, but larger and held aloft by a pillar.

                He took the chip from her and placed it in the holoport. Soon, the parlor came to life with nine landscapes spread across the room. A small part of her wanted to hide away, feeling exposed by her artwork laid bare. She had never shared her work with anyone like this before.

                “They’re beautiful,” Thrawn said, genuinely admiring the pieces.

                “I’m glad you think so,” she said, blushing.

                He smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Have others not thought so?”

                “Others have not seen them,” she answered. “Except for you.”

                “Then I am honored,” he said, handing her a wineglass. He looked over each piece with that same unreadable expression he had whenever he studied other works of art. “You’ve included mountains whenever possible in your paintings.” His eyes fixated on her work. “But they are so formidable and dour.” She looked at him curiously. “Some of them you’ve shrouded in clouds or darkness. Why is that?”

                For a second she was lost for words. She had never even noticed that about her paintings. “I’m…not sure,” she answered, “That was just how I chose to depict them.”

                “They are in such contrast to the brilliant colors of your foreground and the carefree expressions of your figures,” he pointed out.

                Elena looked closely at some of them and saw that it was true. Even with the ominous, foreboding mountains behind, her figures carried on with daily life in the bright, happy colors of the foreground. One figure—in her painting of a Corellian scape—even had his back to the viewer, facing the mountains with a determined stance. “Perhaps these mountains represent the unknown to these people,” she said. “They carry on their lives fully aware of the possible danger or fear that lurks behind.”

                “And why is that?” Thrawn asked. He was genuinely interested, wanting her to make the interpretations.

                “Because they don’t have a choice.” _Like me_ , she thought, feeling light from the sudden epiphany. “They may never know what’s behind them, but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying and building their lives.” All those years ago in the orphanage, she had painted her own thoughts and feelings into what she thought were only recreations of landscapes. Unknowingly, she had created a visual diary—her own interpretation of how she viewed her problems. “And maybe, like this man,” she said, eyeing her Corellian painting, “They’ll one day find the courage and time to face what looms behind them.”

                “You will, my dear,” Thrawn said as he set his glass down. He paused before speaking again, tone filled with concern. “I did not intend to bring up your past,” he said, placing a hand on her back. “I know it upsets you.”

                “I’m not upset though,” she said, turning to him. “You’ve helped me see my paintings in a new light. I had no idea I was unconsciously painting messages of hope in my pieces.”

                Thrawn gave her a small smile and took her hand. “Then I am more than happy that you’ve shown them to me,” he said, planting a small kiss near her wrist.

                She laughed softly, amusement in her eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were studying me,” she said.

                “And what if I was, my dear?” He said, mirroring her expression.

                “Why not just ask me about myself?”

                “Because the questions we ask are sometimes not enough,” he explained. “Sometimes what we want or need to know can only be obtained through observation.” He paused, and she saw the slightest change in his eyes—a change she knew no one else has seen. “I want to know about you, Elena,” he said. “Not just your body. But you, your mind. I want to glimpse inside of you, learn about you. I don’t want my knowledge to be limited to what pleasures you, but what makes you happy, what motivates you. I want to know everything about you, my dear Elena.”

                She could only stare back, eyes glistening in the wake of his confession. “Thrawn…I...I don’t know what to say.”

                “You don’t have to say anything,” he said, “Just stay with me. Stay with me and let me learn more about you.” He stood behind her and undid her bun, brushing her long hair over her left shoulder as he kissed her neck. She leaned against him, a soft moan escaping her lips. When he found her mouth, she turned back and twined her arms around him, tilting her neck back to make up for their height difference. He held her, pressing the two of them tightly together in a lover’s dance as the paintings’ soft glow surrounded them with the galaxy’s beauty.

                Then he pulled her close with sudden fierceness. Using his hand to hoist her right thigh up, he pressed himself between her legs. She let out a small cry as he pulled her up into his arms, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist. They kissed with such passion and ferociousness as he led them to his bed and laid her down.

                “Just a moment, my dear,” he said, pulling away. “I only want to level the playing field.” He stepped back into the living room, leaving her alone.

                She realized that this was her first time in his bedroom. They had never seem to make it in here over the past four days, always too eager that they’d stop in the living room or his office. Though the room was dark, the glow from her paintings provided enough light to see that he had even more artwork in his bedroom. Paintings, mostly; large canvases covered the walls. She reveled in how soft the enormous bed was, extremely grateful that she was going to get to sleep in it at least once a week. She looked to her right and saw a great window obscured by blinds. Walking over to peer out, she lifted a small section of the blinds and saw the endless abyss of stars and space stretched out before her. “Oh!” she started when she felt Thrawn’s lips on her neck, his arms surrounding her from behind. When she turned around, she was greeted by his bare chest. He had shed all of his clothes and stood naked before her, like a statue carved out of sapphires.

               “Oh my,” she said, blushing as he confidently drew her in for a kiss and led her back to the bed. She was powerless to his touch as he began undressing her, starting with her boots, then her belt, then her pants. Soon she was helping him, until she was laid bare in nothing but a light pink bra and underwear. He sat up, admiring her body, feeling the curves of her hips and breasts.

               “There is no one else I want,” Thrawn said, holding her with his hypnotic gaze. His eyes had a faint glow to them in the darkness, and she kept gazing into them as the night continued, watching them close only when she would graze that spot behind his neck with her fingers. Soon her own eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she could see the faint blue of his face and the outlines of his toned arms as he held her.

               She gasped with he entered her, but unlike the evening of the ball, they did not hold back. He moved so expertly, with her following his lead. They kept their gazes fixated on each other, blue and red holding the other captive in a fit of passion. She raked her nails down his back when she climaxed, he not following too far behind before they both collapsed in a tangle of limbs and sheets, panting wildly.

               And when they finally calmed, he pulled her close. With her back to his chest, he wrapped one arm protectively around her before they were overtaken by sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I felt like absolute trash after writing this, but I love romance scenes. As always, please feel free to leave a comment/constructive criticism :) I promise we'll get back to the main plot by next chapter.
> 
> Also, just letting you all know--I've been accepted to graduate school and start classes in August :). This does NOT mean that I won't have time to write though (honestly, I have a lot of the future chapters drafted), it just means I may only be able to update once a week/once every two weeks. So if you're enjoying the story, I highly suggest you bookmark it/subscribe. That way you'll get a notification whenever a new chapter is added.
> 
> Next chapter coincides with the events of Steps Into Shadow (Rebels season 3, ep1). Hot Kallus will make his first appearance (and may even meet our heroine), and we'll see more of Governor Pryce (who is going to be way more ruthless in this story than in the show). And again, thank you so much for the kudos, comments, and support :) It means so much to me <3


	8. A Step into Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena has a disturbing vision. Governor Pryce requisitions the Seventh Fleet after Phoenix Squadron frees a pirate from an imperial prison near Lothal. Meanwhile, Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus makes contact with a mysterious being on Atollon, the planet where the Phoenix Squadron has set up their rebel base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next will follow the events of Rebels S3 E1 (called "Steps into Shadow").
> 
> Also, SPOILER WARNING: There is a small spoiler from Zahn's new Thrawn book and from here on out, there will be major spoilers for Rebels Season 3. 
> 
> I have (and will in future chapters) included some word-for-word lines and plot elements from Star Wars Rebels because it was necessary to the story. I do not take credit or claim ownership of any of the lines and plot elements at all--I just typed what I heard and described what I saw. Star Wars Rebels is owned by Lucasfilm and Disney.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

_It’s just a nightmare. It’s just a nightmare_ , Elena kept telling herself. But no matter how many times she chanted that mantra in her head, she still did not feel any better. Something about this nightmare was different. Its sharp images and sounds seemed so real— _felt_ so real. Usually when she realized she was dreaming, she would immediately wake up. But here she was, still walking down the same dark hallway for what felt like hours, disembodied voices and faces jumping out at her without warning. Some familiar, some not. She mindlessly pressed on until she felt the hallway—which had been completely flat the entire time—slightly incline.

               She looked up. A figure loomed in front, his back turned to her. He was the first tangible thing she had seen during her journey down the hallway.

               “Hello?” she said. When he turned around to look at her, she could see his features clearly: he was human; tall and physically fit, with brown eyes, blond hair, and a beard. He wore the insignia of an ISB agent. And he was pointing a blaster right at her.

               “ _You cannot see_ ,” a voice said. It took Elena a second to realize that it was not coming from the ISB agent but was yet another disembodied voice, surrounding her on all sides with a dreadful omnipotence. The agent still held his blaster aloft, pointing it straight at her heart.

               “No, please!” she begged. He shot her anyway, and the hallway dissolved into oblivion. Darkness encapsulated her, its tendrils spreading like spilt ink until nothing remained.

               “ _Your defeat_ ,” the voice said in the darkness. She tried to answer, but something was keeping her mouth welded shut.

               She jerked violently when she heard something hiss just a few feet in front of her. A long, red light had ignited in the darkness, its constant humming sending a chill up her spine. It looked like a sword of some kind, and holding it was a figure just as dark and nebulous as the abyss surrounding them, the blood-curdling sound of its breathing assailing her ears. She tried to back away, but found that her feet were as immobile as her jaw. She stood there, helpless and paralyzed as the creature stalked towards her, its face obscured by a frightful black mask. Tears streamed down her face as it lifted its sword, ready to strike her down.

               “ _Like many arms surrounding you in a cold embrace_.”

               Elena jolted awake, covered in sweat and gasping for air. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was. Thrawn was not in the room, and judging by how cold his side of the bed felt, must have gotten up hours ago. The chrono read _0606_ hours. Her chest still heaved for air. _It was just a dream. A damn scary one, but a dream_ , she tried to convince herself. But regardless of what she believed it was, she wasn’t in the mood to deal with it or even give it a thought. Once she calmed down, she used the refresher to take a quick shower, clean her teeth, and change into her uniform, which Thrawn had neatly folded and placed at the foot of the bed. After she finished, she walked to the doorframe of his office and saw him seated at his desk, dressed in his uniform.

               “Good morning, my dear,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes reminding her of last night. Would she ever stop blushing around him?

               “How long have you been up?” she asked, stepping into the office.

               “A few hours,” he answered. “Did you rest well?”

               She thought about that disturbing dream. A fellow imperial officer callously shooting her. That horrible monster with its livid, red blade. Hate and anger rolling off of it like a powerful musk. “I did,” she lied.

               As she stepped further into the room, she studied the holograms of urgent reports scattered around his office. Words like “prison break” and “rebels” jumped out at her. “What happened?” she asked.

               “It appears one of the local rebel cells have freed a pirate from Naraka prison, which is in the Lothal system.” He studied the reports for a few minutes until they flashed away, replaced by a blue hologram of the sternest looking woman Elena had ever seen. Instinctively, she scrambled out of sight, peeking through the doorframe to catch a glimpse of her.

               “Hello, Grand Admiral,” she said. Her tone was clipped and fiercely professional.

               “Governor Pryce,” Thrawn said, “I assume this call is in regards to the Naraka prison break?”

               “Indeed it is. The insurgents from Lothal are responsible. And I do believe I have found my perfect opportunity to appeal to Tarkin for your help.”

               “Excellent,” he said politely. “Will you appeal today?”

               “I am in route to his Star Destroyer now.”

               “Very well,” he said. “In the meantime, I will study this incident further and see what conclusions I can make from it.”

               “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said before ending the transmission.

               “Who was that?” Elena asked, stepping back into his office.

               “Governor Arihnda Pryce of Lothal,” he answered. She caught the slightest hint of disgust in his expression.

               She smiled a bit. “I don’t think you like her.”

               He raised an eyebrow, impressed with her perception. “Yes, it’s true,” he said. “I’ve known her for quite some time. Very ambitious.” He stood up and walked towards Elena. “But her little regard for life perplexes me.”

               Elena knitted her brows in question.  

               “Perhaps you are familiar with the Battle of Batonn?” Thrawn asked.

               “I am,” she said. “I remember it resulting in an astounding number of civilian casualties,” she said. “I thought that to be very unlike you, though.”

               “That’s because I did not trigger the ground explosion that claimed all those lives.” His gaze became sharp, almost angry. “Regardless, I was to take credit for it anyway.” Elena’s face turned from one of intrigue to one of mild shock. “There were numerous officers present during that operation. Governor Pryce was one of them.”

               Elena drew her brows together. “You…suspect her?”

               He looked at her, “That’s…one way of putting it.” He turned towards one of the reports. “I can only hope such… _incidents_ will not happen in the future, nor affect my long-term plans for ending this rebellion.”

               “Long-term?” Elena inquired.

               He turned his gaze back to her. “Yes, my dear. You and I will have much to plan and discuss after this prison break is dealt with.” The main door to his quarter’s foyer pinged, signaling an arrival. “In the meantime,” he said, turning his attention to a trooper wheeling in a tray of breakfast, “Perhaps you are hungry?”

~ ▪ ~

               After months of waiting for the perfect moment, Governor Arihnda Pryce finally boarded Tarkin’s Star Destroyer. For the past six months the rebels’ activity had dropped to almost nonexistent, but now with this recent prison break on Naraka, she finally found her perfect opportunity to ask Tarkin for Thrawn and his fleet. With Thrawn at her disposal, these rebels would soon be dead, along with their pathetic excuse of an uprising. As she stepped into his office, she drew her shoulders back. It was an art she had spent years perfecting while she was clawing her way up the political food chain—the art of getting what she wanted. And she _always_ got what she wanted.

               “Governor Pryce,” Tarkin said from behind his desk, “how are things proceeding on Lothal?”

               “Lothal is secure, Moff Tarkin,” she said, “but I am here about the recent rebel attack at the prison on Naraka, which I believe is only the beginning of a larger rebel threat.”

               “I am inclined to agree,” he replied. “Although Lord Vader has dealt with the insurgency’s Jedi leadership, these rebels have proven particularly stubborn. How do you intend to solve this problem?

               She focused her icy gaze directly into his. Coating her words with just the right amount of authority and conviction, she delivered her request. “I want the Seventh Fleet.”

               There was just a second’s worth of a pause as he returned her eye contact, his stone-like gaze severe and unwavering. This was not a man who could be matched in ruthless intimidation, except by her maybe. And she held his stern gaze flawlessly. She knew he would find her request highly audacious, and perhaps overly excessive. After all, it was Tarkin who had given her an admiral and his entire convoy of Star Destroyers to eliminate Lothal’s insurgents. Yet here she was asking for more, and no doubt for the finest the Empire had to offer. “I see,” he said, “And what of Admiral Konstantine and his fleet?”

               “Ah,” she sighed, “Admiral Konstantine is more politician than soldier.” _And an incompetent, kriffing idiot at that_ , she thought. “I need someone who sees a…bigger picture.”

               There was another pause as he regarded her request. Then, finally conceding to its reasoning, he nodded in agreement. “Very well,” he said, “you shall have the Seventh Fleet.”

               And as always, she got what she wanted. Because Arihnda Pryce _always_ got what she wanted. “Thank you, Moff Tarkin.”

               She left the room, victory still shining in her cold, ruthless eyes. Rebel or not, no one was going to stand in her way of power and glory. And if they did, she would cut them down by any means necessary.

~ ▪ ~

               Lightyears away from Lothal and safe from any imperial eyes, Chopper Base buzzed with activity. The wild planet of Atollon coated the rebels’ supplies and ships with its heat and dust, but the harsh environment wasn’t enough to stop Phoenix Squadron from planning its next move. They had just rescued the pirate, Hondo, from prison, and he proved to be quite a wealth of information. He informed the rebels of a hidden station on the planet Yarma, which housed numerous Y-wing bombers, ripe for plundering. But as the rebels began formulating a plan for stealing the Y-wings, one person, however, remained distant from all the action. Kannan Jarrus opted to sit in solitude at the edge of the base, facing the horizon in a deep meditation.

               The thirty-one-year-old Jedi Knight had been through enough in the last six months, still coping with the loss of his eye-sight and his friend, Ahsoka. Following a vision they had received from Master Yoda, he, Ahsoka, and his padawan Ezra had gone to Malachor all those months ago in search of a way to destroy the Sith. He did not expect Maul to be there, nor did he expect the former Sith Lord to blind him in an attempt to kidnap Ezra. And when Darth Vader showed up, they were forced to retreat, Ahsoka choosing to stay behind so she could face Vader alone; but for what reason, he would never know. She made them leave without her, and she had never returned. He could only assume the Sith Lord had killed her.  

                Not wishing to deal with his own inner turmoil, he projected outward, using the Force to feel everything around him. Despite his blindness, he could still sense the presence of his surroundings. In front of him, he could sense two enormous predatory spiders stalking around the base, the only things keeping them at bay being the staff-shaped sensors the rebels’ had stuck in the ground. The sensors’ purpose was to warn the rebels of approaching ships, but for whatever reason, the spiders hated and avoided them. But beyond the spiders, there was something else. Something out in the distance, and it was strong. Kanan reached out, trying to pinpoint it, until he heard the faint, disembodied whisper in his head.

                “ _I see you_ ,” it said, barely audible. He lifted his head. “ _I see you_ ,” it said, louder this time.

                “Who are you?” Kanan asked quietly.

                “ _I can help you_.” Its voice was deep and resonant.

                Kanan stood. “Where are you?”

                “ _Come to me_ ,” was all it said.  

                He faced the open terrain, feeling for the presence so it could guide him. He stretched out his hand, feeling for one of the sensors so that the spiders would keep away from him during his journey. Once he grabbed one and pulled it out of the ground, he set off towards the mysterious being in the distance.

~ ▪ ~

                It had only been a couple of hours since the prison break, but Thrawn was already being summoned aboard Tarkin’s Star Destroyer for a meeting. As their transport ship neared the Destroyer, Elena couldn’t help the sudden nervousness overcoming her. So many high-ranking officers on the bridge of a Grand Moff’s Star Destroyer. She knew she had no business being there, but Thrawn had requested that she attend.

                “My dear, what troubles you?” he asked.

                “You said we would be meeting with Grand Moff Tarkin, Governor Pryce, and an admiral, correct?” she asked.

                “Indeed we are.” He placed a hand gently on one of hers, still noticing the worry on her face. “There is nothing to fear, my dear. They are only people.”

 _Easy for you to say_ , she thought. “I suppose it’s just intimidating. I’m just a lieutenant commander, and I’ll be attending a meeting with someone who controls an entire sector of the Outer Rim.”

                “You seem quite comfortable around me, though,” he said.

                “Yes, but it’s not the…never mind,” she said, noticing the amusement in his eyes. He was never going to stop toying with her.

                A ping from both their datapads captured their attention. It was another attack.

                “Very interesting,” Thrawn said after a few minutes. “I think I now know exactly what our rebels are up to.”

                “I read where it was confirmed the same rebels who freed the pirate were involved—Phoenix Squadron, I believe is their name. They destroyed some Mining Guild ships near the Sereeda hyperspace point,” Elena said. “How does that relate to the prison break though?”

                Thrawn brought up a small holomap from his datapad. “Back on the _Chimaera_ I discovered that the pirate our rebels freed had a cellmate—a laborer from the Starfighter reclamation plant on Yarma.” He highlighted the planet on the map, along with a nearby hyperspace lane. “As you can see, Yarma is only one hyperspace jump away from the Sereeda area, where our rebels attacked the Mining Guild.”

                It clicked with her. “They want to steal those ships,” she said. “And they rescued the pirate and his cellmate because they knew about the reclamation plant.”

                “That is exactly what I believe as well,” he said.  

                When their ship landed, they stepped out onto the hangar and were greeted by none other than Governor Pryce. She was even more stern and scary in real life than what her comm hologram could convey. Her icy blue eyes studied Thrawn until they moved on to Elena. She looked away as they bore into her. No doubt the dark-headed governor was probably trying to figure out who she was and what the hell she was doing there. Elena could already tell she was not going to like this woman.

                “Grand Admiral Thrawn,” Pryce said. “I do hope the past four months have treated you well.”

                “Indeed they have, Governor,” he answered politely. “Shall we proceed to the bridge?”

                “We shall,” she said. “Admiral Konstantine and Agent Kallus have only just arrived.” Her tone was pure politics, the sliminess of it concealed by a perfectly poised façade. “But before we proceed,” she said, turning towards Elena, “Who might this young woman be? I don’t believe we have met before.”

                “This is Lieutenant Commander Rizzo, Governor,” Thrawn said. Elena kept very still and made pleasant eye contact with the governor, albeit with difficulty. “She is my Officer’s Aide and accompanies me during my day to day operations.”

                “Well, that is quite an honor,” Pryce said, eyeing Elena. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Commander.”

                “Thank you, Governor,” Elena answered as politely as she could. “It is a pleasure to make yours as well.”

                It took them almost twenty minutes to make it to the Star Destroyer’s bridge. Thrawn and Pryce walked side-by-side while Elena followed closely behind, desperately wanting to disappear. Luckily, Pryce only seemed interested in talking to Thrawn, leaving Elena to eavesdrop.  

                “I assume Tarkin has approved of my leadership over this rebel investigation?” Thrawn asked.

                “He has,” she answered. “It will be nice having someone who’s actually competent in charge.” Elena heard a bit of bitterness in her tone. “Of course, Tarkin still insists that Admiral Konstantine still remain a part of the Lothal rebel investigation. He’ll be under your command now, but I regret to say the man is as inept as they come. I do hope he will not be an issue for you.”

                “I don’t believe he will, Governor,” Thrawn answered coolly and confidently.

                As they neared the bridge, Elena mentally prepared herself for the meeting they were about to step into.

~ ▪ ~

                “Though it’s difficult to tell, it’s not completely implausible that these individual rebel cells may be working together,” said Agent Kallus. He stood on the bridge with Grand Moff Tarkin and Admiral Konstantine awaiting the arrival of Governor Pryce and this newly promoted grand admiral he had heard so much about, and who would soon be his new boss. He had only just found out that morning of his transfer to the mysterious grand admiral’s fleet. He was to serve as the _Chimaera’s_ designated ISB agent, which entailed that he keep a watchful eye out for any suspicious activity from its officers and crew.

                “Regardless of whether it is plausible or not, these rebels from Lothal have proven to be quite troublesome,” Tarkin said. “Their past successes act as encouragement to the other cells, which is unacceptable. Perhaps the utilization of the Seventh Fleet will be just what we need to finally oust this rebellion.”

                Kallus saw this stir something up in Konstantine, who was no doubt miffed that his authority over the Lothal insurgency investigation was being passed over to Imperial High Command.

                “I’m certain Governor Pryce is overestimating how organized the resistance is,” said Konstantine. “While it’s true there are pockets of rebellion, there has never been any evidence of a larger-scale, galaxy-wide operation.”

                “And I would like to keep it that way,” said a suave, overly-confidant voice from the door, “Admiral Konstantine.” Kallus looked up to see that a tall, blue-skinned man in a grand admiral’s uniform had stepped onto the bridge. He stood between Governor Pryce and a young imperial officer. The Admiral towered over the two women, tall and imperious with his menacing red eyes. So he truly was a non-human. No doubt the Emperor must have found him somewhere and thought he’d be useful. It was the only reason Kallus could think of, given the blatant xenophobia of the Imperial Military. But regardless of whether he knew the Emperor or not, he had to have been extremely intelligent and capable to rise to such a lofty rank.

                After taking in the sight of the Grand Admiral, his attention then rested on the young woman standing next to him. Judging by her rank plate and code cylinders, she was a lieutenant commander; but other than that, there was not much else he could tell about her or why she was present at the meeting. She was very cute, no doubt. If he had been about ten years younger, he might would have tried to strike up a conversation with her once the meeting was over. But it wasn’t so much her looks that caught his attention than the fearful look in her eye when they made eye-contact. It was only there for a second, and she immediately averted her eyes after looking at him. Did she recognize him somehow? He certainly had never seen _her_ before, but then again, there was no telling.

                “Grand Admiral Thrawn,” Tarkin said.

                “ _Grand_ Admiral?” asked Konstantine, knitting his brows together.

                “The Emperor recently promoted me after my victory at Batonn,” the Grand Admiral answered matter-of-factly. A twinge of anger passed through Kallus. He remembered reading that report. So many innocent people slaughtered just so one rebel cell could be destroyed. Of course, Kallus expected no less from his fellow imperials. Only the Empire would reward such blatant brutality.

                His venom-coated comment slipped out of him before he could think. “Civilian causalities outnumbered the insurgences, at the _time_ ,” he said. The Grand Admiral merely regarded him for just a second, his deadpan expression giving nothing away.

                “Acceptable margins, Agent Kallus, for there are no longer rebels in that sector,” said Pryce, quick to jump in. So quick, that it almost seemed like she was defending his actions. He watched as the admiral gave her a side glance, and Kallus could have sworn he was glaring at her.

                “Well Thrawn, what do you think of Governor Pryce’s theory about the rebels in the Lothal sector?” asked Tarkin, directing everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand.

                Activating the holoport they all surrounded, a news article detailing the Naraka prison break appeared, and the Grand Admiral launched into his explanation. “This is a pirate our rebels rescued from Naraka prison, Hondo Ohnaka. Within the last hour the Phoenix Squadron destroyed mining guild ships using the Sereeda hyperspace waypoint. Taken separately they may seem unrelated, but Ohnaka’s cellmate was a laborer at our Starfighter reclamation plant in the Yarma system, one jump point away from the Sereeda attack.” Kallus watched the holomap as the Grand Admiral explained, but caught another glimpse of the young commander through the images. She looked extremely uncomfortable and was going out of her way not to look at him.

               “Grand Admiral Thrawn believes the rebels intend to raid the plant, and steal fighters for their fleet,” Pryce added.

               “Every ship they add to their arsenal increases a threat to our own armada and the emperor’s plans,” the Grand Admiral said.

               “I trust you have a solution?” inquired Tarkin.

               “I will start my operations here, and pull the rebels apart, piece by piece. They will be the architects of their own destruction.” he said. That intimidating, all-knowing look in his crimson eyes was enough to tell Kallus that he’ll need to be careful around him, especially now that Kallus would soon be under his leadership. This new admiral was going to be a challenge for him, no doubt.

               “I will send a warning to Reklam station,” Pryce said. “My Star Destroyer will be on stand-by if the station calls for reinforcements.”

               “Very well,” Tarkin said. “Konstantine, Kallus—accompany Governor Pryce on her Star Destroyer in case she is called in for reinforcement.”

               “If I am needed,” the Grand Admiral said, “I will be aboard my ship, available to comm at any time.”

               “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” Pryce said.

               The red-eyed imperial nodded and proceeded towards the door, the young commander following in tow. Kallus watched her as she left. Before turning to follow the admiral, she had stolen another glance at him, that strange fear still in her eyes. She looked like she was happy to be leaving. Perhaps she _did_ know him from somewhere, but what could he have possibly done to make her stare at him with such fear? Maybe he would see her again, and find out. Maybe he would never know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Elena had her first Force vision, and it's created an interesting dynamic between her and Agent Kallus.  
> Also, one note about Force visions in this story-- the things she saw and heard may be completely unrelated to each other. The voice she heard may have had nothing to do with Kallus shooting her or Vader trying to kill her. Basically, she just saw a hodge podge of different images and sounds from the future. 
> 
> As always, please feel free to leave a comment/constructive criticism! I love hearing from you guys and what you have to say :) Thank you again for all the support!


	9. The One in the Middle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanan meets a powerful Force being. Elena learns more about the rebels, and Thrawn plans his next move. Meanwhile, Agent Kallus and Elena become suspicious of each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second part of Chapter 8 and continues with the events of "Steps into Shadow" (Rebels S3, Ep1). 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy!

                There had been no mistaking it. He was the man—the ISB agent who had shot her in her nightmare. But how was it possible? She had never seen that man in her entire life until today. How could he have appeared in her dream before she even laid eyes on him?

 _It’s impossible_ , she thought.

                “Is everything alright, Commander?” Thrawn asked quietly. Though he addressed her by rank, he still spoke with the same sweetness he used behind the closed doors of his office.

                “Oh, it’s nothing,” Elena said, keeping up with his pace as they walked back to their transport ship. “It’s just that…I’ve seen that ISB agent from somewhere, but I can’t for the life of me figure out from where.”

                “Agent Kallus,” Thrawn said, “He has fought against the Lothal insurgency for the past three years. Perhaps you’ve seen him in reports. He will soon be working alongside us since he has had first-hand encounters with the rebels.”

                “Oh,” was all she could say before quickly changing the subject. “So, this Phoenix Squadron…that is the cell we are now tasked with eliminating?”

                “Yes,” Thrawn answered. “They have proven to be quite elusive, but I already have a plan in motion. It will just require patience.”

                “Do you have any information on them?” Elena asked.

                Thrawn smiled. “I do. Once we return to my office, I will have much to show you regarding these rebels.”

~ ▪ ~

                After what felt like twenty or thirty minutes, Kanan finally found the place where the voice originated from. Spiders surrounded him on all sides, the staff in his hand the only thing keeping them away. He heard the hoot of an owl perched above, the creature watching him before flying away. Plated, coral-like trees littered the dusty plains, wild and unkempt. Heat beat down on him unmercifully, causing him to remove his protective eye mask so he could wipe the sweat from his brow.

                “This is the place,” he said as he donned his mask and stepped down into a small crater. “Hello? Are you there?” He kept walking. “I can sense your presence.”

                He heard a great movement, like that of an ancient stone coming loose from its resting place. If he had been able, he would have seen a gargantuan beast rise up in front of him. The creature rested on his hind legs and knuckles. His rock-like, dark skin was covered in jutting plates similar to the surrounding trees. His face was vaguely reminiscent to that of a cattle’s, with a long flatten nose and more plates jutting from his head like horns. A great red beard covered the lower half of his face and fell down to his torso, and his two enormous white eyes reflected millennia of wisdom. “Hello,” the creature said, his voice a deep boom in the quiet still of the wilderness. Kanan looked up, perplexed by the creature’s enormous presence. “Ah, you heard my call. Good,” he continued. “Your imbalance awoke me from a deep slumber.”

                “Imbalance?” Kanan asked.

                “Your presence is like a violent storm in this quiet world.”

                “You’re a Force wielder,” Kanan said, curious. “But you are not a Jedi.”

                “Wielder? Hmmm,” the beast said. “Jedi and Sith wield the Ashla and Bogan, the light and the dark. I’m the one in the middle, the Bendu. What do you call yourself?”

                “I am Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight,” he answered.

                “You carry conflict with you, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight,” Bendu said.

                Kanan exhaled. “Much has happened to me in the past few months.”

                “Ah,” Bendu’s said, his voice reverberating off the plated trees. “I sense it in you—grief, loss.”

                Kanan’s mouth twitched to the side. Thoughts of Ahsoka left behind in that Sith temple came back to haunt him. “I lost a friend, my vision, and almost lost my padawan.”

                Bendu studied Kanan for a minute. “There is more I sense in you,” the beast glared in concentration. “You speak as though you have lost others before. Is that true?”

                “…Yes,” Kanan said, spooked by the creature’s Force abilities. “My former Master was one of them. But that was a long time ago.”

                “You carry heavy burdens with you, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight.”

                “I can’t help but think that if I had done something differently, everyone would still be here. Maybe even those I have lost in the past would still be here too.” Kanan looked down.

                “Ahhh, your conflict becomes clear,” Bendu said. The creature slid his eyes toward the staff. “That device in the ground. Why do you have it?”

                Kanan lifted his head. “It keeps the spiders from attacking me.”

                “May I see it?” Not waiting for permission, Bendu grabbed the sensor with two huge fingers. Bringing it close to his white eyes, he snapped it in half.

                “Hey, hey! What did you do?” exclaimed Kanan.

                “I am helping you,” Bendu said.

                “It was the only thing protecting me from those creatures!” Kanan kneeled on the ground, flailing his hands around for the pieces.

                “You believe that,” Bendu said, “but you must learn to see things differently now.”

                "Look, I can't see _anything_. Not anymore," Kanan said bitterly.

                "No!” Bendu argued. “You are unwilling.”

                Kanan stopped feeling around for the broken staff and glanced up. "Are you saying there's a way to restore my vision?"

                "Your sight cannot be healed," Bendu said. "But I can teach you to _see_ , if you're willing."

                Kanan removed his protective mask, the two faded ghosts of his green eyes staring up at Bendu. "What must I do?"

                "You must be empty," he said. "There is only the Force. Now," he instructed, "turn and walk forward."

                Kanan did as he was told, but not without his doubts. "I'm not sure this is such a good idea.”

                "And why not?" Bendu asked.

                "Because those spiders are out there,” he said as though it wasn’t already obvious, “ _waiting_.”

                "How do you know this?"

                Kanan sighed. "I hear them."

                "Good," said Bendu. "Keep walking. Sound relates them to you. What else?"

                "I can feel them in the ground—their vibrations when they move.”

                "Indeed," said Bendu. "You _are_ perceptive. Are they close?"

                Kanan stopped walking. "No."

                "Continue on then," said Bendu. "How else do you relate to the spiders?"

                Kanan thought back to when they first arrived on Atollon. He and Ezra had explored the caves near the base, where the spiders had made their home. "Before, in the caves," said Kanan. "A foul smell. It was old, decayed."

                "Ah," said Bendu. "A fascinating description. You see much for being blind."

                "Well I know what they look like," said Kanan. "I saw them…when I had my sight."

                "Then picture them," said Bendu, "in your mind. Are they close?"

                "No.”

                "Are you certain?" Kanan stopped. Almost reluctantly, he reached out in front of him, and felt the skin of a spider brush against his fingertips. A jolt of fear coursed through him as he yanked his hand back.

                "What should I do?" the Jedi asked.

                "What do you _want_ to do?" Bendu inquired. "Hmm?"

                "Run," Kanan answered, his fear apparent. "But there's another one right behind me." And it was true--he could feel its presence boxing him in.

                "You are beginning to see," said Bendu. "Ha! Now, be empty and continue onward."

                Kanan cleared his mind, but something still bothered him. "Why aren't they attacking?"

                "It is not in their nature.”

                "Well," said Kanan, "it has been in my experience."

                "Because you do not see them."

                "You mean…see them for what they are." Kanan said.

                "Look closer.”

                Kanan tried, but just became frustrated. "There's nothing," he said. "I can't sense them."

                "Look within," Bendu pressed.

                Kanan used the Force to reach out to the spider, concentrating hard. "I see…fear."

                "In the spiders?" Bendu asked.

                A few seconds passed before Kanan answered. He exhaled and dropped his hand. "No," he said. "In me. It's all from me—fear, grief, anger. All because I blame myself for the deaths of my friends. That's how these spiders see me." He sighed at his realization. "That's how I see myself."

                "Ah!" Bendu exclaimed. "Your sight returns!"

                "I distanced myself from everyone," Kanan said. "From the Force too."

                "Your connection to the Force allows you to see in ways others cannot." Bendu said. "If you can see yourself, you will never be truly blind, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight.”

                "I understand," Kanan said.

                “You mustn’t blame yourself for losing your friends.” The comment made Kanan stop and look up. “For if you dwell on who you lost in the past, you will not be there to find them in the future.”

                Kanan knitted his brows together. “They died…what do you mean by ‘find them in the future?’”

                “That is a path of discovery you will need to make on your own, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight.”

                And something he could ponder about later once Ezra made it back from the Yarma mission unharmed. He turned to leave, “Thank you, Bendu.”

                "Where are you going?" the great being asked.

                "Ezra needs me," Kanan said. "They all do."

                "But what of the spiders?"

                "Ha," Kanan chuckled. "I can see them. So there's nothing to fear.” He left for the base, feeling lighter than he had ever felt in the past six months.

~ ▪ ~

                It was astounding, the amount of information he had accumulated. In the mere two hours they had spent researching the articles, files, and artwork Thrawn had collected, she had gone from not knowing these rebels’ faces to knowing what ship they flew, where they were from, and what strategies they mostly relied on when faced with conflict.

                They were a rag-tag group for sure, but no doubt had displayed impressive ingenuity with their past missions. Impressive enough to merit the use of Thrawn’s abilities to shut them down.

                Elena studied their images closely, trying her best to retain all the information she could about the five members of Phoenix Squadron. It appeared that their leader was the Twi’lek pilot Hera Syndulla, who flew their ship, the _Ghost_. Next was Zeb, a Lasat—a species she had never heard of, and an unnamed Mandalorian girl. Elena deduced that the girl must have been an artist—her armor was covered with colorful graffiti and drawings. She was almost sad that she was tasked with hunting them down; part of her really wanted to meet the girl and just have a conversation with her.

                But it was the two last members of Phoenix Squadron that captured her attention the most—Ezra Bridger and Kanan Jarrus.

                Bridger, who looked to be around eighteen-years-old, had the most information amassed about him. His tanned face and long, dark hair were plastered on innumerable amounts of imperial reports. He was an orphaned native of Lothal and had joined with the _Ghost_ crew some three years ago.

                Kanan Jarrus, however, did not have nearly as much information on him as Bridger, but Elena found all of her attention focused on him. He looked like he was in his early thirties, with bright green eyes and brown hair tied back into a short, low ponytail. There was something oddly familiar about him. It was so fleeting though, like trying to remember the details of a dream after waking up. No matter how hard she tried to place him, her mind would just draw a blank.

                But the pinnacle of her intrigue was not with his fleeting familiarity, but with one small word written on his and Bridger’s files. A term she had never heard before, and one that seemed to have a negative connotation nowadays, at least with imperials.

                “What’s a _Jedi_?” Elena asked Thrawn, breaking the uninterrupted silence of the past two hours.

                “They are Force wielders,” he answered. “I regret to say that I’m not too familiar with their teachings. They had a strong prominence in the Old Republic, until they were all executed for treason against the Emperor at the end of the Clone Wars.” He glanced at Bridger and Jarrus’s files, “Though, a few did survive.” He raised an eyebrow, “You have never heard of Jedi before?”

                “I haven’t,” Elena said. “Not even at Royal Imperial. You said they were… _Force_ -wielders?”

                “They have the power to use the Force,” Thrawn answered.

                “What’s the Force?”

                But before Thrawn could answer her question, the holoport on his desk pinged with an update. The rebels had successfully stolen five Y-wing Starfighters, all with missing hyperdrives. _With the hyperdrives gone, someone will need to come rescue them_ , Elena thought. Just then, the bluish, transparent figure of Governor Pryce replaced the report.

Thrawn stepped towards the governor and placed his hands behind his back. “Update me on your progress, Governor.”

                “The situation is proceeding much as you anticipated,” Pryce said. “The rebel fleet, composed of three Star-cruisers, have come to the rescue.”

                Thrawn thought for a second. “That is not the rebel fleet,” he said coolly. “Break off your attack and allow them to escape with their… _meager_ reward.”

                “Very good, Grand Admiral,” Pryce said before ending the transmission.

                “It appears our rebels have successfully stolen a few Starfighters,” Thrawn said to Elena. “Now, my dear, why do you think I have ordered to allow their escape?”

                She thought for a second. “Perhaps you want to use them?” she said. “Phoenix Squadron could lead us to other rebel cells, maybe even to a base vital to their cause. You would have lost your best lead if you had killed them today.”

                “Impressive, my dear Elena,” he said, bringing a blush to her cheeks. “But I have far greater ambitions than the destruction of a few other cells. Perhaps they’ll lead me straight to the heart of their rebellion; and when they do, I will deliver the final blow and crush all hope they have for victory.” With a click of a button, all the reports concerning the rebels vanished, leaving his office empty save for his collection of artwork. “Forgive me, my dear, but there are a few officer meetings I must attend until this evening. Your work is done for the day; though, I hope to see you tonight for dinner, as usual.”

                “Of course,” Elena said with a soft smile.

                And as the rest of the day pressed on, the two seemed to have forgotten all about their discussion concerning the Jedi. Elena’s question still hung in the air, unanswered and out of mind.

~ ▪ ~

                Once she was dismissed for the day, Elena went straight to her room to comm Janali, finally getting the chance to explain everything that had happened since the night of the ball. In the two and a half hours they spent talking, Elena had never seen her friend’s eyes grow so big or see her get so excited over anything else before.

                “I’m still sorry for abandoning you at the ball…it wasn’t right of me—“

                “Elle, do not apologize again,” Janali said. “I get to comm you every week, and you know we’ll see each other again somewhere.”

                Elena smiled, “Alright then.”

                “Tell me again—you’re having dinner with him tonight?” Janali’s grinned.

                “We are,” Elena smiled. She checked the chrono, “And soon.”

                “Well don’t let me keep you!” Janali said. “Same time next week?”

                “Sounds good,” Elena said. “Goodbye Jan. Miss you.”

                “I miss you too,” Janali said.

                Once their comm ended, Elena made her way back to Thrawn’s quarters. She was only a few minutes away before she turned the corner and nearly ran into someone.

                “Oh, pardon me, I’m so sorry,” Elena began until she looked up and saw his face. _The ISB agent_. She froze, trying not to look as though she had just seen a ghost, and probably failing miserably at it. But if she was, he didn’t seem to notice.

                “Oh,” he said, “I saw you on board Grand Moff Tarkin’s Star Destroyer today. You were with the Grand Admiral. I don’t believe we’ve met.”

                “I remember you,” she said as calmly as possible. “I’m Lieutenant Commander Rizzo, I’m the Grand Admiral’s Officer’s Aide.”

                “A pleasure,” he said, extending his hand to shake. He had a Core-world accent, but much more pronounced than hers. She took his hand and they shook. “I’m Agent Kallus, from the Imperial Security Bureau. I’ve recently been transferred to the _Chimaera_ , so we may be seeing a lot of each other.”

                “You were…transferred here?” she asked.

                “I was,” he answered. “It appears the Grand Admiral is trying to recruit as much personnel as he can who have had direct contact with the rebels.”

                “You’ve encountered them first-hand?”

                “I have,” he said. There was a twinge of uneasiness in his voice. She wondered why. “Perhaps the Admiral thinks I will be of great assistance to him during this investigation.”

                “I’m sure you will, Agent,” she said.

                “It was a pleasure meeting you, Commander,” he said. “I do hope we’ll meet again soon.” She watched him disappear around the corner.

                Once he was out of sight, she continued her way towards Thrawn’s office. Though he was very polite, there was definitely something off about him, and it wasn’t just because of her dream. She sighed, silently cursing her bad luck. She knew she would need to keep an eye on him, especially since he was now stationed on the same ship as her.

                A lovely dinner awaited her once she stepped into the privacy of Thrawn’s parlor. Leading her over to the table with his hand on her back, he pulled her chair out for her, and they ate. Just seeing him was enough to put her mind at ease. Their conversation mainly focused on the day’s events, and Elena had plenty of questions about his past dealings with Governor Pryce. But what really piqued her interest was Thrawn’s change of subject to Phoenix Squadron.

                “Now that they’ve come out of hiding, I hope to study them. I want to learn how they respond and fight back against different threats.”

                “What do you have in mind?” asked Elena.

                “I will start with their leader, Captain Syndulla. I wish to see how she will respond to an attack on her home world of Ryloth.”

                Elena tensed at the name. “Ryloth? You…wish to attack it?”

                “Yes, but nothing that will result in casualties, if that is what worries you. I merely want to draw the rebels out so that I may experience their tactics firsthand.”

                “How do you know she’s still loyal to her home world?” Elena asked.

                “Because her father is Cham Syndulla, a famous Twi’lek resistance fighter on Ryloth. Phoenix Squadron has aided him before. I believe an attack concentrated in her home province will be enough to lure her and her crew to the planet.”

                His logic made since, and if it had been any other planet, she would have agreed. But not Ryloth. Not the home planet of her friend—a friend from the Coruscanti slums who she had no token of remembrance except for a worn-out, blue bandanna. Attacking his home world would only feel like desecration.

                “My dear,” Thrawn said, his eyes softening, “Does Ryloth have meaning to you?”

                She cast her eyes down. “In a way,” she said quietly. “I’ve never been. It’s the home world of someone I once knew. Someone important to me.”

                For the first time since meeting him, she saw the slightest bit of hesitation on his face. This was not a situation he was used to dealing with. “I can tell you do not wish to share the details, and I will honor that, my dear. But if it upsets you this much…” he said, “I will not make you go with me.”

                He wasn’t going to make her go, but he was going to do it anyway. But that was no surprise to her. This was a war, and personal feelings could never come before orders or strategy, especially if that strategy could lead to a victory. Painful as that was, she understood it, knew not to question it. But maybe there was a way she could help the innocent civilians who would inevitably be caught in the crossfire. Maybe she could help evacuate them or distribute food rations and shelter for those who might lose their homes. War wasn’t just about bloody battles and triumph. Some of the bravest and kindest acts of altruism have come out of war, and all because of a deep, unspoken willingness to do good. And wasn’t that why she joined the Empire in the first place? To help bring peace and do good? Perhaps that was exactly what she could do if she accompanied Thrawn to Ryloth. But above all, it was what her friend would have done, and what he would want her to do now. “I…I still want to go.”

                He still looked concerned. “Will it ease your mind in knowing we won’t be the ones commanding the attacks?”

                “Are there imperials already stationed there?” she asked.

                “Yes,” he said after taking a sip of wine. “Though the natives are unwelcome to their occupation. It has caused Ryloth to become a hotspot of rebellion for many years. What I will do is merely offer my tactical advice to the commanding officer currently stationed there.” He studied her face, causing her to blush. “And I will avoid casualties as best as I can. All we need is one attack to draw Syndulla and her crew to us.”

                “Thank you for easing my mind,” she said. It still didn’t feel right that they were going, but at least he was promising to be merciful. “I know it’s war, but…”

                “It does not make our choices any easier to bare,” Thrawn said. “Trust me, my dear, I know that more than anyone.” Even after all the time they had spent together, seeing this powerful man show even a sliver of sadness and concern still surprised her. It was such a stark contrast to how he acted in front of his equals. His expression became solemn. “You know very well that limiting unnecessary deaths is one of my main priorities, but I’m afraid I cannot promise much else, my dear.” His expression softened when he looked at her. “Are you certain you want to be a part of this mission?”

                Elena exhaled softly. “Yes,” she said. “I want to assist you there.” _And perhaps do some good while I’m there too_. Thrawn was right—this was war. Difficult choices will rear their ugly heads whenever possible. And instead of brooding over something she couldn’t change, she would just need to make the best out of a difficult situation. “When do you plan to start this mission?” she asked.

                “In a few weeks,” he answered. “We will need to study Ryloth and its culture until then.”

                A small smile broke through her turmoil, “I look forward to that.”

                And despite the million different feelings running through her, she found solace in his arms, his kiss numbing the pain. They stayed like that for a while, tied up in each other’s embrace. She didn’t realize how badly she had needed the connection until she rested her head on his chest, listening to the faint thud of his heartbeat. It made him seem so human, despite his eyes and skin. Just how similar _were_ Chiss to humans, she wondered. She wished he would tell her more, but all of her past questions had been met with succinct—and sometimes ambiguous—answers. She couldn’t really blame him though, as she was being just as vague and secretive about her life between the orphanage and the academy. The thought of telling him that she had lived in a ghetto for four years made her cringe with embarrassment. But they couldn’t keep hiding their secrets forever. Sooner or later she would have to tell him about her thieving and pickpocketing days; and hopefully he would indulge some of her questions about his people in return.

                He played with a lock of her hair. “A pity I will have to wait another five days until I have you in my bed again.”

                “Maybe you won’t have to,” she looked up at him. “I could stay here tonight. We’re careful enough.”

                “As much as I would love that, my dear Elena, there is still too much risk involved.” He turned her so they could face each other. “I care about you, Elena,” he said, sending a lightning bolt through her. “I cannot risk anything happening to you. Even the smallest speck of suspicion from anyone could jeopardize us.”

                She understood, and they savored the last few minutes they had together before her inevitable departure.

                After kissing her goodnight, he detailed her orders for the rest of the week, and she left for her room. The cold metal door closed heartlessly between them, separating the clandestine lovers.

                Unbeknownst to her, however, she was being watched. A pair of brown eyes followed her down the hallway as she made her way back to her room, his ISB agent uniform helping him blend in with the austere gray walls. When the door to her room closed behind her, he remained hidden around the corner, glaring in concentration. He had seen her twice today, one of those for the first time in his life. And both times she regarded him with fear and suspicion. And until he could figure out why, he was going to keep an eye on her.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kallus be creepin'. Let's hope he doesn't find out about Thrawn and Elena's relationship...  
> And now we know that this mysterious blue bandanna guy ("T.R.") is a Twi'lek. Poor Elena :( hopefully she'll find a way to help the Twi'lek civilians in need (and maybe she'll meet our rebels too...).
> 
> With that Kanan/Bendu scene, I left out the Sith holocron part because it has nothing to do with the story I'm trying to tell. Just assume that Kanan found the holocron later and gave it to Bendu, just like in the show. 
> 
> The next few chapters (2, maybe 3, I'm not sure) will coincide with the events of Rebels S3, Ep5 called "Hera's Heroes" (one of my favorite episodes :)!). Just assume all events/episodes between "Steps into Shadow" and "Hera's Heroes" took place (I'm not going to write about them because Thrawn isn't in those episodes, and they have nothing directly to do with the plot of this story). 
> 
> And as always, thank you for all the kudos, comments, and support :) Please feel free to leave a comment/constructive criticism. I really want to hear from you guys to see if there's anything you guys like/think I can work on.


	10. The Kalikori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fulcrum transmits a message to the rebels. Thrawn and Elena arrive on Ryloth and consult with Captain Slavin on his tactics. Hera receives a stressful message from her father, and Elena receives an unexpected gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've included a quote from Zahn's "Heir to the Empire" for you EU fans :) You'll know it when you see it.  
> Hope you guys enjoy!

                The two moons hung high over Lothal, illuminating the royal blue sky as a speeder silently raced across the flat plains. Under the cover of nightfall, the mysterious rider made his way to a lone, spear-shaped tower that stood just a few miles outside the metropolis of Capital City. It was the perfect location—completely deserted and just far enough away from the city that he wouldn’t draw attention to himself. Once he reached the tower and parked the speeder, he made way up to the top, watching his back every few steps.

                The door sprung open. Blaster in hand, he checked every corner for hidden enemies before turning his attention to the transmission box. It was only his second time doing this, and paranoia still hung in the air like a thick fog.

                Once calm, he activated the transmitter with a click of a button, and a white hologram of the Fulcrum symbol appeared, signifying that the recording had started.

                "This is Fulcrum. I have news regarding a change in imperial command over the Lothal insurgency. The Empire has placed a member of Imperial High Command in charge of fighting against the rebellion. His name is Grand Admiral Thrawn. Unlike other officers you've faced in the past, he is known to be very thorough and effective. I advise caution in all of your future missions from here on. Fulcrum out."

~ ▪ ~

                Elena peered outside the imperial light cruiser’s massive window. A striking mix of orange and violet swathed the evening sky, bathing the rocky desert and its mesas in brilliant lights and shadows. Ryloth was even more beautiful than the holoimages she had studied. And after years of hearing stories and admiring paintings, she was finally there; though, she had only wished it had been under better circumstances.

                A few weeks had passed since the prison break on Naraka, and Elena and Thrawn had spent the time vigorously studying Phoenix Squadron and the culture and history of Ryloth. Most of it Elena already knew, but it did make her happy to revisit all the old facts she had learned about the Twi'lek people all those years ago.

                What did not make her happy though was the fact that she and Thrawn had to work with the insufferable Captain Slavin, the commanding officer in the Tann Province. Arrogant, uncouth, and xenophobic, Slavin was—in Elena’s opinion—completely unfit for his position. How he had climbed his way up to the rank of captain, she would never know. The man was a helpless idiot, entirely convinced that deploying the same mediocre tactics would yield different results even though they had cost him defeat after defeat by the Twi’lek rebels.

                She shuddered at the memory of meeting him earlier that day. Though he had acted respectful towards Thrawn, she could look at him and tell Slavin had thought of him as nothing more than some terrifying monster. _Yes_ , she thought sarcastically, _because having blue skin rather than being a xenophobic asshole is what constitutes as being a monster_. He seemed to have had poor opinions of women too, because when he had turned to meet her, he literally looked down his nose at her like she was a lowly servant and then kept staring at her chest the entire time she spoke. And she didn’t even want to think about all the awful things he had said about the Twi’lek people.

                Even now, the sound of his voice was making her cringe. He stood with Thrawn at the center of the bridge, studying a map of the surrounding areas. Not really wanting to contribute, Elena kept staring out the window of the light cruiser, which hovered over the Tann Province like a bad omen.

                "Concentrate your attacks here and here," Thrawn told Captain Slavin.

                "The Tulara Ravine?" The Captain asked skeptically.

                "Yes," Thrawn said, glacially calm, "The Tulara Ravine." Turning away from the window, Elena watched as he fixed his cold, red eyes on the captain. For the past hour, Slavin had argued and questioned Thrawn’s judgement, and she could tell that he was finally getting frustrated with it. "Surely you know from your past experiences that Cham Syndulla and his rebels favor the ravine as their best means of escape."

                Slavin started to turn just a tinge red, but his voice still held its infuriating arrogance. "Yes, I am aware that they've used the pass before."

                "Yet, you have never attempted to attack or sabotage it?" The bridge began to grow quiet as the officers working the control panels turned their heads to watch the scene behind them. Nervousness began to creep up Elena’s spine.

                Whatever arrogance Slavin had been exuding had completely vanished. After a few painful seconds of awkward silence, the captain finally cleared his throat. "The ravine is notorious for its difficult terrain,” his voice started to sound shaky. “We have tried firing on it before, but the Twi'lek rebels have almost always evaded us. They are much more familiar with the area than we are and know where to hide from our fire.”

                Thrawn kept his cool gaze on the man. "And you've never thought to…plant land mines through the pass?" He lifted an eyebrow, pummeling Slavin further into embarrassment. The entire bridge had gone deathly quiet.

                "…Yes," Slavin reluctantly said. "Mining the pass, however, would take an exorbitant amount of time."

                "Even though you are completely aware it would permanently render their best escape route useless?" His calm, icy tone froze the room.

                Slavin cast his eyes down. "I see in where my error lies. We will mine the ravine sometime this week."

                “An error?” Thrawn said, lifting a brow, “Or a mistake?” Slavin remained quiet, some of the color draining from his face. Elena watched as those same red eyes that would look upon her with such warmth and affection grow even more cold and ruthless than they had been minutes ago. "Captain,” Thrawn said, “Do you know what the difference is between an error and a mistake?" His voice still glacially calm, he kept his singeing red eyes on the man.

                Elena could have sworn Slavin was starting to shake. "No, sir."

                "Anyone can make an error, Captain. But that error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it." Elena hadn’t realized she had been holding her breath until her chest started to ache. Even after all those months by his side, Thrawn’s uncanny ability to instill fear in nearly everyone never ceased to terrify her. If she had been in Slavin’s place, she’d be in tears by now.

                The dark-headed captain swallowed hard, his face completely pale. “I will have my men plant mines immediately.”

                “Excellent, Captain,” Thrawn calmly said. “Then I do believe your…mistake…has been corrected.” He turned his crimson eyes back to the map, oblivious to the tension still hanging in the room. “With their best means of escape rendered useless, they’ll have no choice but to flee through the desert, where your scouts can easily follow and open fire.”

                "What do you suggest for direct attacks?" Slavin asked, still slightly shaky from earlier.

                "Cham Syndulla is known for his use of underground tunnels to transport his troops and supplies. If you can pinpoint the openings of these tunnels and collapse them, you’ll be able to cut them off from their resources and destroy their means of travel.”

                Slavin studied the map. "I believe a major opening is here," he said as he pointed to an area in the northernmost part of the province, his hand still shaking. "The rebels always seem to appear somewhere in that area when they come out for an attack."

                "Very well, Captain," Thrawn said. "I suggest sending a ship to scout the area. Once the opening is found, destroy it. With the underground no longer an option for them, you will be in an optimal position to capture Syndulla."

                "Excellent. Thank you, Grand Admiral," Slavin said, all too happy to leave the bridge.

                Once the man left to perform the operation, Elena walked swiftly back towards the map, studying the tunnel locations. _No nearby villages_ , she sighed with relief.

                "Not to worry, Commander," Thrawn said. Though his tone still held its usual professionalism, there was absolutely no hint of the cold ruthlessness it had held just minutes before. "Syndulla tends to keep the violence as far from Ryloth’s citizens whenever possible."

                "What do you have in mind after the tunnels are destroyed?" Elena asked.

                "Syndulla's home is located in a small village near the heart of the province," Thrawn said, highlighting the area on the holomap. "Slavin wishes to capture Cham Syndulla and convert his home into an imperial headquarters, so as to make a statement to the Free Ryloth movement." He turned to face Elena. "If the destruction of the tunnels is not enough to draw Hera Syndulla and her crew here, then the capture of her family’s home should certainly be enough."

                "And what of the villagers?" Elena asked.

                "I will advise Slavin that an imperial presence will be enough to keep the citizens subdued, and that unnecessary deaths should be avoided at all costs," Thrawn said. "He only seems interested in taking the Syndulla home, but I will tell him just as a precaution.”

                She gave a soft smile, “Thank you, Grand Admiral.”

                “Now, Commander, if you’ll follow me,” Thrawn said as he walked towards the bridge’s exit. She followed, and he turned to look at her. “Is something still troubling you, my dear?” he asked softly.

                Her eyes shot up to his. “No, it’s just…” they turned the corner, heading straight for his light cruiser’s office. “Sometimes I forget just how terrifying you can be.”

                He raised a brow, amused by her comment. “Terrifying? I only meant to cause him mild embarrassment.” A smile played on his lips.

                If that was what Thrawn thought was mild embarrassment, she would hate to see him actually angry at someone. “Slavin’s proud,” Elena finally said. “Embarrassing him would be the best way to make him listen.”

                “Yes,” Thrawn said as he opened his office door. “Once you can learn to decipher someone, you can easily deduce which method will best elicit a response.” Once inside, he shut the door, alienating the two of them from the rest of the ship.

                Curious, she asked, “Do you know what would elicit a response from me?”

                He turned to her and thought for a moment, his red eyes studying her face. “Fear,” he finally said. Her expression didn’t change, but inside she could feel her heart skip a beat, perplexed by his answer. “And it either backs you into a corner, or motivates you.”

                She couldn’t help the soft chuckle escape her lips. “I feel like you know me more than I know myself.”

                “I admit,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her, lightly brushing the small of her back, “I study you from time to time.

                She ran her palm down his chest. “Perhaps you study me too much,” she said with a coy smile.

                “Oh, I disagree,” he said, activating the lock on his office door. He gently pulled her into a kiss. It was the first moment of privacy they had all day, and Elena had no idea how badly she had needed it. With only an hour until their expected arrival to Ryloth’s imperial base, they allowed themselves that one small escape, savoring every touch until their inevitable return to Grand Admiral and Lieutenant Commander.

~ ▪ ~

                One week, three destroyed tunnels, and two skirmishes later, imperial control began to spread across the Tann Province like a disease. With the Free Ryloth rebels severely weakened, it didn't take long for Slavin's forces to invade the Syndulla home, where the Twi'lek resistance leader had fled to.

                Much to Elena's relief, the villagers either chose to stay in their homes or to evacuate to another province, and no casualties had been reported.

                But her relief was short-lived. After searching the entire house, troopers reported that Cham Syndulla had escaped along with a few other rebels. Angered by the inconvenience, Slavin ordered a complete blockade on the village, trapping all its Twi'lek inhabitants inside. Those who had no home in the village were taken as hostages and kept in the Syndulla home. Apparently Slavin thought they would be enough to lure the freedom fighter out of hiding.

 _This is not the Empire I had learned about at Royal Imperial_ , she thought as she stood on the second floor balcony, watching scout troopers handcuff and jerk the innocent Twi'leks into the house. _Does the Empire truly allow this cruelty…or are these just a few crooked officers giving the rest of us a bad name?_ She pondered long and hard on what she had just witnessed. It wasn’t until the sun had finally dipped below the horizon when she went back inside.

~ ▪ ~

                The next morning dragged on excruciatingly slow as more imperials and their equipment moved into the house. Elena stood with Thrawn and Slavin as the various ensigns and lieutenants set up their control and communications headquarters on the house’s lower level. Once everything had been set up to Slavin’s liking, the three took the lift back up to the atrium.

                “I want to scout the perimeter of the house,” Slavin said as they rode the lift. “There could be secret exits or other doors that we’ll need to block off.”

                Once the lift door opened and they stepped out into the atrium, Elena nearly gasped when she saw a young, purple Twi’lek standing in the middle of the room.

                "You there!" Captain Slavin yelled at the teenage girl. She must have wandered her way out of whatever room Slavin was keeping them in. The girl winced at the sound of his voice. "You're not supposed to be up here! I have told you people to stay in the kitchens!" She just kept staring at him with her mouth agape, her blue eyes full of terror. She muttered something in Twi’leki, and that’s when Elena realized she couldn’t understand him. “What?” he asked, irritated. Elena didn’t even need to ask Slavin if he knew Twi’leki. Terrified, she stepped towards the girl, fully aware that she was the only one who could end this awkward situation.

                " _I am sorry for his rudeness, miss_ ," Elena said in Twi'leki. It had been a long time since she had used the language. She spoke slowly, trying her best to mask her accent. " _He is not a nice man. You should return to the kitchens for your safety_." Though the girl understood her, she could only stare at Elena in bewilderment. An imperial speaking Twi'leki must be a rare sight here, Elena thought.

                “ _I’m sorry,_ ” the girl finally replied, averting her eyes to the ground. “ _I only came up because I and the others are hungry_.”

                Elena felt something tighten in her chest and suppressed a small gasp. Slavin wasn’t feeding them, yet confined them to the kitchen. If they weren’t allowed to eat the food, then that could only mean he was using them as servants. Suppressing the strong urge to turn around and strangle him, she calmed down, and an idea popped in her head. “ _Don’t worry_ ,” Elena said when she finally found her words. “ _I will bring you something to eat tonight_.”

                The girl gave a curious look. Muttering a thank you in Twi’leki, she scurried off towards one of the hallways. When Elena turned around, both Slavin and Thrawn had their eyes glued on her. Slavin with bewilderment, Thrawn with mild curiosity.

                "W-What did you say to her?" asked Slavin, not masking the bafflement in his voice.

                "I merely translated what you said, Captain," Elena said in her best fake-polite voice. "It was clear the girl could not understand you." _You pig-headed buffoon_ , she thought.

                "Fair enough," he acquiesced. “Anyway,” he cleared his throat and continued walking. “Let’s begin scouting the outside.”

                Elena and Thrawn allowed Slavin to walk a few feet in front of them. Once outside, she noticed his curious look. “You don’t look surprised.”

                “With your extensive knowledge of Twi’lek culture, I figured you might have had some aptitude with the language.” They walked up a small staircase leading to the right side of the house. “Though I’m curious as to _why_ the culture has such a deep impression on you, as you’ve yet to tell me.”

                She gave a soft smile. “Perhaps I’ll tell you one day.”

                Noticing that Slavin had walked way ahead of them, they turned their attention back to the assignment.

                It was going to be a long day.

~ ▪ ~

                Hera stood alone aboard the _Ghost_ , dust particles dancing around her in the light of Atollon’s sun. She and the crew had just returned from a week-long supply run trip. Ezra, Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb had been more than happy to finally exit the ship and walk on solid ground. Hera, however, stayed behind to run diagnostics and engine checks. She had become so focused that she jumped at the sound of a familiar voice that came through the _Ghost’s_ transmission port.

                “Father?” Hera said.

                “Hera? Are you there?” Cham Syndulla asked.

                “Yes,” she answered. “Is everything ok? You sound troubled.”

                “The Empire has sent reinforcements to Ryloth. I’m afraid that they’ve destroyed parts of our tunnel systems and have cut us off from most of our supplies.”

                Hera’s eyes widened with worry. “Don’t worry, father,” she said. “We can make a supply run to Ryloth. Can you wait until tomorrow so we can prepare?”

                “Of course,” Cham said. “We have enough to get by for a few days.” She could hear the faint ping of enemy blaster shots in the background. “Just be careful—there is an imperial blockade above the planet.” The firing grew louder, and she could hear shouting. “I’m sorry Hera, but I must go.”

                “I understand,” Hera said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” The transmission ended, and she buried her face in her hands, frustration and anxiety coursing through her. She knew her father was one of the most capable fighters she had ever known, but that didn’t stop her from worrying about his safety.

                After exiting the _Ghost_ , she saw most of the team had gathered around the base’s main holoport with Commander Sato. His face was grave and the other’s looked worried.

                “Captain,” Commander Sato said to Hera, “We received a new transmission from Fulcrum last week, right after you all had left on your supply run.” He activated the holoport, and the Fulcrum symbol hovered above. The voice came through the module deep and distorted, a precaution they took in order to protect their unknown informant’s identity.

                "This is Fulcrum. I have news regarding a change in imperial command over the Lothal insurgency. The Empire has placed a member of Imperial High Command in charge of fighting against the rebellion. His name is Grand Admiral Thrawn. Unlike other officers you've faced in the past, he is known to be very thorough and effective. I advise caution in all of your future mission from here on. Fulcrum out."

                “A grand admiral?” Sabine said. “I don’t like the sound of that…”

                “Ah, all those imperials are the same,” said Zeb. “Whoever they are, they’ve probably just parked their Star Destroyer above Lothal, lounging around till we show up.”

                Sato exhaled. “Regardless, if Fulcrum believes we should be cautious, then I would advise the same.”

                “Commander Sato is right,” Hera said to her crew. “Until we can figure out who this Grand Admiral Thrawn is and how he operates, we need to be extra careful, starting today.”

                “Today?” Ezra asked. “Do you have a mission planned?”

                “Yes,” Hera said, becoming more serious. “I know we just got back, but we need to make a supply run to Ryloth. My father and the Free Ryloth rebels are facing some trouble. I told him we’d be there tomorrow.”

                “Better start loading up the supplies then,” Kanan said.

                “We’ll help too,” Sabine said. She, Zeb, and Ezra dispersed off into the supply area of the base.

                “Best of luck with your mission, Captain,” Sato said.

                “Thank you, Commander.” Hera smiled as Kanan wrapped an arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling grateful for the new family the Rebellion had given her.

~ ▪ ~

                Elena clutched the small messenger bag as she stepped through the house’s front door. Inside the bag were twelve of her own ration packs she had managed to smuggle off Thrawn’s light cruiser. She had no idea how many Twi’leks were being held hostage, but she figured twelve packs would be enough. They were large meals—if they halved each one, that would make twenty-four decent sized portions. Now the only problem was finding the kitchen.

                She decided to start with the leftmost hallway, which contained five doors on each side. _Guess I’ll need to check all of them_ , she thought as she opened the first door to her right and found herself staring into an office. On the wall opposite the door, a colorful family portrait stood out against the lavish red walls, and Elena found herself drawn to it.

 _How beautiful_ , she thought, admiring the carefully placed mosaic tiles. Twi’leks preferred using mosaic for most of their artwork, and it resulted in an array of brilliant colors and patterns. _This must be the Syndulla family_ , she thought. An orange Twi'lek man who looked exactly like Cham Syndulla smiled in the background. To his right was a gorgeous, green Twi'lek women who Elena guessed was his wife. And in between them stood a little Twi'lek girl who looked exactly like her mother. Elena loved her expression—her adventurous green eyes shined with childlike innocence. _That must be Hera Syndulla_ , she realized.

                Other than the painting, there wasn’t much else to the room. It looked more like a storage area than an office—boxes and filing folders littering the shelves and corners. But as she continued scanning the room, her eyes fell upon a small wooden totem laying on one of the bookshelves.

                She smiled, realizing what it was. _A kalikori!_ She had always wanted to see one in person. The beautiful wooden totem was almost half the length of her arm. Intricate swirls and designs covered its surface. She held it gingerly, knowing the Twi’lek family heirloom’s value and importance. Cham Syndulla must have had no time to find it when he escaped. She was beginning to feel bad for the man…

                The thud of approaching footsteps shook her out of her reverie, and she half hid the kalikori behind a box on the bookshelf. The thought of Slavin finding it and putting his hands on it made her feel ill. And to her misfortune, that was exactly who appeared at the office door.

                "What are you doing in here?" His rude, accusing voice made her hands start to shake. She hid them behind her back.

                "Captain," she said. "I'm sorry, I was just--"

                "You were just leaving," he said. "This is my office, where I conduct my imperial business. And I have no desire to conduct business with silly little girls who think they can play soldier."

                She could feel the blood rushing to her face. _Kriffing asshole_. “As you wish, Captain," she icily said. She was almost out the door when she had an idea. It probably wasn’t a _good_ idea, but the words were already out of her mouth before she could decide. “Though,” she turned around to face him, “I really don’t think you’re in a position to insult me, Captain. I _am_ the Grand Admiral’s aide, you know.” She watched Slavin’s eyes shoot daggers into her. Hands still behind her back, she began nervously fidgeting with her name bracelet. “And he doesn’t take kindly to having his Officer’s Aide insulted. In fact, I would venture to say that it’d be a grave…error to do so.” She watched his face grow dangerously red at the unspoken mention of that humiliating meeting with Thrawn a week ago.

                His dark eyes bore into her with boiling anger. "Fine," he seethed through his teeth. "Just leave."

                “Fair enough,” she said, knowing he’d be too proud to apologize. She knew she needed to stop talking, but she couldn’t help her final comment, almost laughing as she said it. “Just don’t let it become a mistake.”

                The door shut swiftly behind her, nearly closing on the heel of her boot.

 _Where the hell did that come from?_ She wondered. Though she had wanted nothing more than to bolt out the door and hide, she had stayed, her fear coursing through her veins. It was almost like it gave her power, like a momentary high. The lingering emotion became too much though. Holding her face in her hands, she spared a few minutes to calm down.

                With a clear and pacified mind, she continued down the hall, checking the other doors. But after a few seconds, she began to worry. Could Slavin get her in trouble for that? But then again, who was he going to tell? Thrawn? Honestly, Thrawn might even _praise_ her for telling him off. She tried not to overthink it as she continued her search for the kitchen.

~ ▪ ~

                The sounds of running faucets and humming appliances filled Elena’s ears when she finally found the kitchen. About ten Twi'leks of all different ages and skin tones toiled around, preparing that evening’s dinner, too engrossed in their work to pay her a lick of attention. She exhaled, keeping her anger at bay. _That bastard_ , she thought. He was having them _cook food_ for the imperials, yet refused to feed them.

                One of the Twi’leks—the teenager from before—looked up from her work and saw Elena. She walked towards her, mouth slightly open with surprise.

                " _You were serious_?" the girl asked in Twi'leki.

                " _Of course_ ," Elena replied. " _I don't believe in how he is treating you_."

                At that point, most of the Twi'leks began slowly making their way towards her, a semi-circle of faces staring at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

                “ _Is she the one you were talking about_?” asked an older blue woman to the teenager.

                “ _Yes,_ ” the girl replied. “ _She means well, I promise.”_

                Having so many eyes glued on her at once rattled her nerves, but she took a deep breath and pulled the ration packs out of the bag. “ _These are for you all_ ,” she said softly. “ _One for each_.” They remained completely silent and continued to stare. She watched as a little Twi’lek girl peered out at her from behind one of the men. “ _One pack is about two meals, so you will have more for tomorrow_.” Slowly, the Twi’leks turned to each other, quietly talking among themselves. Elena handed one of the packs to the teenage girl, and soon, the others began lining up to receive their small feasts and give their thanks.

                Elena laughed when she watched the little girl go straight for the cookie inside her ration pack.

                “Nima!” her father playfully scolded. But she already had the entire cookie stuffed in her mouth. All he could do was laugh.

                “ _Thank you_ ,” he said to Elena. His eyes shined with gratitude as he picked his daughter up. Mouth still full of cookie, she gave Elena a small wave to signify her thanks.

                " _Thank you_ ," the teenage girl said as the others began walking back into the kitchen. " _You are not like other imperials. What is your name so we may thank you properly?_ "

                Elena smiled as the Twi'leks began preparing their meals. "Elena Rizzo," she said.

                The girl smiled. " _Thank you_ , Elena."

                As the others began shuffling away, one man stayed behind. He was the oldest of all of them, years of sun and wisdom had aged his face. Elena guessed he must have been in his sixties. Unlike the others, he was tall and well-built, cords of muscle lining his dark orange skin. He had one of those perpetually smiling faces, but with a tough edge to it. There was something so oddly familiar about him to Elena, but she couldn’t place it.

                " _Thank you, sweet girl_ ," the man said. " _You said your name is Rizzo_?"

                " _Yes, sir_ ," Elena said. He had piqued her curiosity.

                The man gave a small chuckle. " _How strange. That is my last name_." Elena raised her eyebrows. " _Ah, he'd be about a few years older than you. Tell me, do you happen to know a young man named_ Tal?"

                A lightning bolt shot through Elena. " _You…you knew_ Tal?"

                " _Know him?”_ The man gave a hearty laugh, _“He’s my grandson_."

                Her jaw dropped. Tal had never talked about his family much, but she did recall him saying he had a grandfather back on Ryloth. As she studied his face, the odd familiarity all made sense. They shared the same orange skin, the same mischievous look in their eyes, even the same nose. She even saw bits of Tal’s personality in the way he spoke and carried himself. It should have been impossible. Out of all the villages, cities, and provinces on this planet, she still wound up in the same place as Tal’s remaining family.

                " _I'm surprised though, he never really seemed like the type to settle down_ ," the old man said.

                " _Wha…what do you mean_?" Elena asked, still recovering from her shock.

                " _You have our name_ ," he said. " _I assume you are his wife_?"

                Elena blushed wildly. " _Oh_ ," she said, " _No, no. We were friends for many years. When we met, I…had no last name. So he offered me his.”_

                " _I see_ ," the old man said, his eyes shining. " _He was always a generous lad. A bit of a troublemaker though_ ," he chuckled deeply. " _So,_ ” he said. Something in his expression had changed. He became more solemn, his eyes more downcast. _“How is that little bruiser doing?_ "

                Elena's smile faded, and her heart dropped. She could feel the pinpricks behind her eyes, the forming of her inevitable tears. " _He_ …," she sighed, trying to keep her voice steady. " _He passed away_ ," she looked down. " _It happened a few years ago_."

                When she looked back up at him, she could see the sadness in his eyes. " _Ah_ ," he said. " _I was afraid that might have been true_." He shook his head. " _He was a bold boy, always looking for trouble_." Hot tears had begun spilling down Elena's face. Even to this day, she still cried at the thought of Tal’s death, but now it was more so because she had just told someone that their grandchild had died. “ _Oh now_ ,” Tal's grandfather pulled her into a hug. " _Don’t cry, sweet girl. He would not want you to_.”

                When they finally pulled apart, Elena wiped her eyes and found her voice. " _You said you had begun to think he had passed?_ "

                The man exhaled. “ _When my son and his family fled Ryloth during the Clone Wars, I had to accept the fact that they might never return_." he said. “ _You were very young, but I’m sure you remember how devastating that war was_.” Elena nodded her head, which was the easier alternative than explaining she actually _couldn’t_ remember the Clone Wars. She knew she had been a young girl during the war, but, like the rest of her past, the memories of it were locked away somewhere in the fog of her mind. " _I remember Tal was not happy about leaving, yelling about how he wanted to stay and fight with Cham_." He sighed. " _He told me he would contact me and return to Ryloth once he was old enough. He’d be, what…thirty now? A few years ago—that’s when I had started to think the worst had happened_.”

                Elena couldn't help a small smile as she dried her tears. " _I can assure you, returning to Ryloth was his favorite topic of conversation_." He gave a small laugh. She reached for her bun and unfastened Tal’s bandanna. Ever since the Ball, she had taken a liking to wearing it in her hair. Somehow, it kept her bun perfectly in place. “ _I know it isn’t much, but_ ,” she said as she handed it to him. “ _He always wore this. It’s all I could salvage from him_.” The old man gently took it from her. “ _I want you to have it_.”

                He studied it for a minute, running his thumb over the monogramed ‘T.R.’ at the corner. “ _Thank you_ ,” he said softly. “ _He was wearing this old thing when he left Ryloth_.” A soft chuckled escaped his lips.

                " _What is your name_?" Elena asked.

                " _I am_ Caz," he said, "Caz Rizzo. _And, sweet girl, I have a gift for you_.”

                Elena perked up as he went to rummage through a bag in the corner. “ _I prefer a more vagabond lifestyle,”_ he said, _“So I always carry this with me.”_ When he returned, he held a small wooden totem. Unlike the one she had found earlier, this one was smaller and curvy, with bold colors and asymmetrical shapes covering its surface. She covered her mouth with her hands.

                “ _Tal would have inherited this_ ,” Caz said. “ _But seeing that you meant so much to my grandson and now hold the Rizzo name, I believe this kalikori should now pass down to you_.” He placed it in her hands, and she stared in awe at its details. “ _I do hope you will add on to the artwork_ ,” he said. His eyes had become misty.

                New tears began forming in her eyes. “ _This honor is way more than I deserve_ ,” she said. “ _I cannot find a way to express my thanks enough_.”

                He patted her shoulder. “ _You don’t need to, sweet girl_ ,” he said. “ _Just take it and keep it safe, it is yours now_. _Keep Tal’s memory alive.”_

                “ _I will_ ,” she said with a smile. She looked back up at him. “ _You remind me so much of him_.”

                “ _I’m glad for that_.” Caz gave a hearty laugh. “ _Perhaps you can tell me more of yours and Tal's adventures_ ," he said, " _But, I am curious of you…why is such a sweet and caring person like you in the Empire_?"

                The change in subject caught her a little off guard. " _At first I joined to escape my life of poverty; but then it became more about a want to help bring peace and defend the galaxy_.” She looked out into the kitchen at the other Twi’leks. “ _I am appalled at the treatment you all have faced by Captain Slavin. However, the Empire means no harm. I'm sure it is better in other places_."

                " _You are so young_ ," he said. " _Your heart means well, but you do not know, sweet girl. You do not know_."

                " _What do you mean_?" Elena asked.

                " _The Empire does not mean good, young one_ ," he said. " _Do you know why some of the Twi'leks rebel? Because the Empire rapes our planet of its resources, and gives nothing in return. Every day Twi'lek women are abducted into slavery, and the Empire turns a blind eye. They blockade our planet because we are brave enough to fight back, and they starve us. We are supposed to be its citizens; but they would soon rather kill us and take all we have than provide for us_.”

                The emotion in his voice struck a chord in her. Tal had no idea how life on Ryloth was when she met him. He only spoken about how evil the Separatists had been. But as far as the Empire was concerned, he knew about as much as she did at the time.

                " _Then perhaps the Empire needs people like me_ ," Elena said when she found her voice again. " _Someone to soften the blow when innocents such as yourselves are caught in the conflict_.”

                " _Then you are very brave, dear_ Elena," he said. " _But sooner or later, you may not be able to soften the blows, nor uphold your values. And then what will you do? I can look into your eyes and tell you are an unquestionably good person, unlike this monster you have decided to join_."

                At a loss for words, she could only glance back down at the Rizzo clan’s kalikori.

                The old man gave her a small smile. " _Think of what I've said, sweet girl_ ," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. " _I believe you will make the right decision for yourself_." She looked back up and gave him a soft smile. “ _It was an honor to meet you_ , Elena Rizzo. _I do hope you will visit again, for I am curious of yours and Tal’s adventures_.”

                “ _I’d be more than happy to share them with you_ ,” she grinned. And with that, he turned to join the others in their little feast.

                As she walked back up to her room, she admired her new gift, still letting the realization sink in that she had just met Tal’s grandfather. But as she continued to study the kalikori, Caz’s words still haunted her ears. _Sooner or later, you may not be able to soften the blows. And then what will you do?_

                “I don’t know,” she whispered to herself. Once she made it back to the guest room that served as her quarters, she set the kalikori on the nightstand and stared out the window. Ryloth’s moons cast their light upon the desert below, bathing it in calm serenity. So peaceful and still, and much unlike her mind, where a violent storm of conflict and questions had begun to brew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> As always, please feel free to leave a comment/feedback. Anything I can improve on? Anything you like about my writing?
> 
> And thank you again for all the kudos, support, and lovely comments! I'm still stunned that people actually like my fic XD


	11. Hera's Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hera and Ezra sneak into the Syndulla home to retrieve something of Hera's. Elena comes up with a plan of her own. Ezra and Elena make a strange connection, and Thrawn and Hera meet face-to-face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Chopper's lines, I'm actually going to translate them to make reading easier. I use Choptalk on youtube for his lines and also come up with my own.  
> 

                With scout troopers hot on their trail, Cham Syndulla and Numa raced across the Rylothian desert on their blurrgs, the midday sun beating down furiously as they dodged blaster fire.

                "How did they find us?!" Numa yelled to Cham.

                He clutched his reigns with an iron grip as his blurrg sped up. "The Empire is getting better at anticipating our moves."

                "This will slow them down," Numa said as she tossed a small bomb behind them, taking out one of the scout troopers and his speeder. Only one scout and an imperial transport remained, and their increased firing forced the two rebels to zig-zag as they raced on. But as Cham glanced up, he knew they could not keep running forever. The edge of a cliff loomed before them, and they were headed straight for it.

                "Gobi, where are you?" Cham said into his commlink. "We need a pickup now!"

                "We're not far from the Tulara Ravine," Numa said, "We can lose them in the maze."

                "No good," Cham said. "Gobi said they mined the pass."

                His commlink pinged. "Father," Hera said, "Don't worry, we're closing in on your position."

                “Hera!” he said, relieved. “Good timing, we are running out of room.” He watched as they inched closer to the cliff’s edge with every step.

                “We’re coming in from the north,” his daughter said.

                “There’s no time for you to land.”

                “We’re not landing, head south,” she persisted.

                “Hera, there is no time!”

                “Just turn around!” She yelled, “We’ll take care of the Empire.”

                Coaxing their blurrgs to a stop, Cham and Numa turned around. The last scout trooper and the transport lay waiting, shooting mercilessly at them and Hera’s approaching ship. But whoever was manning the _Ghost’_ s canons took out the transport with ease.

                As Cham and Numa continued running from the last scout trooper, Hera brought her ship close to the ground. Lowering the ship’s ramp, she scooped them and their blurrgs to safety. But before it could close, the scout trooper positioned himself in front of the ramp, allowed himself to be scooped as well.

                “Ha!” the trooper yelled when he entered the ship’s cargo hold, blaster aloft. He quickly lowered it when he saw Cham, Numa, and Zeb all pointed their blasters at him.

                “You didn’t think that through, did you?” Zeb asked with a twinge of humor.

                “Ahh…” the trooper groaned.

                “Hey kid?” Zeb yelled up to Ezra, who stood on the bay’s balcony. “You got this outfit?”

                “Nope!”

                Zeb took a step towards the bewildered trooper, “The kid wants your helmet, sorry.” With a swift punch, he knocked the trooper out, and Ezra swooped down from above to claim his new armor.

~ ▪ ~

                "You arrived just in time," Cham said as he hugged Hera. "Thank you for making the supply run."

                "It wasn't easy getting past that imperial blockade," Hera said.

                "Then I wish I had better news," Cham said with a downcast look. "The imperials now occupy the entire Tann province."

                Hera gasped.

                "Oh no..." Chopper beeped.

                "What's the Tann Province?" Ezra asked.

                "It's where Hera grew up," Kanan said, equally as saddened as Hera.

                "What happened, father?" she asked.

                "I underestimated the commander, Captain Slavin," he said. "His previous attacks were clumsy, but this one was swift, precise…unlike him." he sat down. "He's…made our home his headquarters. I'm afraid I couldn't save anything when I escaped…"

                "Not even the kalikori?" Hera asked with a twinge of emotion in her voice.

                "What's a kalikori?" Ezra asked.

                "A totem passed down the line of Twi'lek family," Numa answered. "It honors all who have come before."

                “Each parent adds to the artwork to include themselves in the legacy,” Gobi added.

                "Hera would have inherited our family's kalikori," Cham said.

                "And I still will," Hera said. "That heirloom was important to my mother, and I'm not ready to give it up yet."

                "Gobi, Numa, and I are coming with you," Cham said.

                "We can help too," Sabine said.

                "This wasn't meant to be a personal mission," Hera said. "I can't let you take this risk with me."

                "You'd do it for us," Kanan said.

                "We owe it to you," Zeb said.

                Cham stood up. "Come, daughter. I'll brief you on Captain Slavin's defenses."

~ ▪ ~

                "Alright, Chop," Hera said as they studied a hologram of the Syndulla home. "You'll sneak in with me here, and the rest of you will work on a diversion to draw the troops away."

                "Done. But there are few other people left in the Tann province," her father said. "Getting you in unnoticed won't be easy."

                Just then, Ezra stepped into the room dressed in the captured scout trooper's uniform. "They might notice her," he said as he lowered the helmet, concealing his face, "but they won't recognize me."

                “Excellent,” Cham said. “Hera, you can pose as a prisoner…” he sighed, “Which reminds me…” his face contorted with worry. “The Empire may be holding hostages in our home. I have no proof other than their word.”

                “It could be a trick just to draw you out of hiding,” Sabine said.

                “Perhaps,” Cham said, “But if it’s not…”

                “Don’t worry, father,” Hera said. “If I find any hostages, I’ll set them free.”

                Cham relaxed. “Thank you, Hera.”

~ ▪ ~

                Caz laughed deeply, his chuckle breaking up the monotonous sounds of the kitchen. He sat on the floor with Elena. At one point, the little girl—Nima—had wandered over to them while she told Caz one of her and Tal’s stories. She played with Elena’s hair, twisting it around with curious fascination.

                “ _You are serious?_ ” He asked in Twi’leki once his laughter subsided. “ _Ah, what did that bounty hunter look like again?”_

 _“He was so tall_ ,” Elena said. _“He had giant red eyes and wore a large, wide-brimmed hat.”_ A large grin spread across her face as she recounted all the excitement and danger that came with living in the Coruscanti underworld. For Caz’s sake, she left out a few sordid details—somehow, she didn’t think he would be proud of his grandson for being the leader of a thieves’ guild. Or for the fact that he had passed all his dirty thieving tricks down to her. And there was also that tiny detail about how she had had feelings for him...

               “ _Sounds to me like_ Tal _dragged you into more trouble than you could have asked for,”_ Caz said, earning a laugh from Elena. _“I cannot express my thanks enough, sweet child,_ ” he said. “ _These stories of Tal are the greatest gift anyone has ever given me_.”

 _“And your family’s kalikori is likewise to me,”_ she said. With one final gentle tug of her hair, Nima came around and gave her a small hug before scurrying back to her father. Elena ran her fingers through the knotted, messy braid. She giggled, knowing how much brushing it would take to untangle it, and tied it back into a bun.

              Caz glanced up the staircase leading to the rest of the house, his grin slowly receding. “ _Any idea what they plan to do with us?”_

 _“They’re using you all as bait to lure Cham Syndulla back here_ ,” she answered. She beckoned him to lean closer to her, and spoke quietly. “ _But I have a plan to get you all out of here_. _”_ He raised his brows, his eyes shining with question. _“You may have noticed that the kitchen’s exit is blocked off,”_ she said. “ _I know how to open it.”_

 _“Are there guards outside?”_ he asked.

 _“No,”_ she said. _“All the outside guards are either at the front entrance of the house or at the mountain’s base where the village is located. You won’t have to worry about guards until you reach the bottom.”_

             Caz laughed, _“I’m not worried. I and a few of the men will take care of the guards.”_ Elena giggled, noticing bits of Tal’s personality in him.

             “ _I need to bring you a blaster, just in case_ ,” she said.

_“No worries, I know where you all are keeping your weapons.”_

             She raised her brows, _“Are you sure?”_

             He nodded. _“So, when will this take place?”_

 _“Here,”_ she handed Caz a commlink. _“This is my extra one. When the time is right, I will unlock the door and tell you when to escape.”_

 _“Where should we go?”_ he asked.

_“There is a village not far from here where no imperial guards are present. Do you think they will take you in?”_

_“Ah, I know which village you’re talking about. They will. And when will the time be right?”_ Caz asked.

             Elena took a breath. “ _I’ve heard reports that a rebel ship may have snuck past the blockade and participated in a skirmish from earlier today. It’s a long story, but I think they might be headed here. If so, they’ll be enough of a distraction that you can sneak away.”_ Caz nodded. “ _Do not attempt to comm me at any time—I may be with other imperials. I will communicate with you on your progress when I’m alone.”_

             He placed a hand on her shoulder, _“_ Tal _would be proud of you, sweet girl.”_

             She smiled. _“I could not just sit here and allow this to happen.”_

 _“I knew you weren’t a true imperial,”_ he chuckled.

             Not knowing how to respond, she just gave him a small smile. _“Keep an ear out for my comm,”_ she said before standing up and turning to go back upstairs.

             When she reached the top, she froze at the sound of a familiar, suave voice.

             “I thought I’d find you here,” Thrawn said.

             “Oh, Thrawn…I…,” she stammered.

             He looked amused. “You seem to enjoy visiting with them,” he said.

             She raised her brows. “I…do. I’ve just been checking to make sure they’re alright,” she said.

            “Good,” he said before turning. She followed closely behind, heart threatening to beat out of her chest. “Slavin wishes that we accompany him on his patrol of the village later this evening.”

            “What will we be checking for?” she asked.

            “We will be checking for any signs of rebel activity,” he said. “If a rebel ship did indeed sneak past our blockade, then I believe they won’t be far from here, if they’re not here already.”

            Then perhaps tonight or tomorrow will be her only chance to succeed with her own plans. Her thoughts ran rampantly as they made their way to Slavin’s office.

~ ▪ ~

            As twilight descended over Ryloth, the crew parked the _Ghost_ in a safe location, and Cham, Numa, and the rest of Phoenix Squadron snuck into the canyon surrounding the village, where imperial Walkers and troopers were patrolling. Ezra and Hera sat upon the imperial speeder they had scavenged from earlier, disguised as a scout trooper and a Twi’lek rebel. As the mechanical stomping of the Walker grew louder, Hera’s father and the rest of her crew emerged from hiding and started to attack. With the Walker and troopers distracted, Ezra and Hera silently cruised by and made their way to Hera’s village.

            After about fifteen minutes, they reached the front entrance to Hera's home, where a guard stood watch. Fooled by Ezra's disguise, a trooper guard walked up. “Where did you find her?” he asked, motioning to Hera with his blaster.

            Ezra clutched Hera’s arm. “I found this rebel while on patrol.” As Ezra held her arm, Hera pretended to struggle free, muttering “let me go!” in her native Twi’lek accent.

            “Very well,” the guard said. “Put her inside with the others.” He stood to the side, letting Ezra and Hera pass through on their speeder. He parked it not too far from the front door, and cuffed Hera’s hands to further their so-far believable act.

            "The Empire's certainly made themselves at home…" Hera grumbled as she noticed all the stormtroopers patrolling her home's front door and second-story balconies. Underneath his helmet, Ezra shook his head at the sight of the imperial infestation. It reminded him too much of his home planet of Lothal, where even more stormtroopers patrolled the streets and harassed its non-human citizens.

            "There's Chopper," Hera whispered to Ezra. As they walked towards the front door, he noticed the little droid standing nearby, his usual orange paint job replaced with the red and black typical of imperial droids. He blended in perfectly with the backdrop of stormtroopers and imperial equipment. "He'll meet us inside,” she whispered.

            As they stepped into the house's main foyer, Ezra stared in awe at the sophisticated designs and coloring of the house. Two large, ornate screens stood to their left and right, concealing the left and right parts of the foyer. Ezra noticed the screens had small holes in their design, making them perfect for hiding behind and spying on if need be. Though, if everything went according to plan, hiding would—hopefully—not be necessary. He turned his attention to the wall in front of him, where he noticed the house’s lift, and a lone guard standing watch next to it.

            "This way," Hera motioned to Ezra. Without drawing attention from the guard, she discreetly led Ezra, who still had her hands cuffed, down the leftmost hallway. Once out of sight, Ezra removed her cuffs, and she opened the first door to their right.

            "This is it," she said as the door closed behind them, "My father's office." Ezra watched as she began rummaging through some boxes behind her father’s desk, a sort of urgency to her movements. "He said the kalikori would be in here somewhere."

            Finding nothing, Hera moved on to the shelves. As she continued her rummaging, Ezra looked around the room, and his attention gravitated towards a colorful mosaic painting on the adjacent wall. A portrait of a Twi'lek family, a loving smile on each of their faces.

            "Is that your mother?" Ezra asked.

            "Yes, it is," Hera said, still searching the shelves. "I'll give you one guess who the little girl beside her is." After a brief pause, she gasped. "Here it is!" She pulled the kalikori out from behind a box and held it gingerly in her hands. Intricate, colorful patterns covered its wooden, T-shaped surface.

            "Well, that was easy," Ezra said.

            "We're not out of this yet," Hera said as she stood up. "Come on, let's go."

~ ▪ ~

             Ezra followed Hera back to the foyer, where they noticed the guard who had stood watch by the lift had moved towards the front door. She quickly pulled Ezra behind one of the foyer’s screens, obscuring them from the guard’s view.

             Ezra lifted the mask of his helmet off, revealing the worried look in his eyes. “What are we going to do?” he quietly whispered to Hera. “He might not let you through. Is that our only exit?”

             Hera shook her head. “I know another way,” she whispered back. “We’ll need to take the lift.”

             “But he’s looking right _at_ the lift,” Ezra whispered, growing more worried by the second.

             “I know,” she replied. “We’ll need a distraction.”

             “Maybe we could…” Ezra started to say, but something interrupted his thoughts. The faintest of sensations coursed through him, and he could feel something—a presence nearby. He looked down, knitting his brows in concentration. The first time he had felt something similar was back on Lothal three years ago when he first saw Kanan. After that, he had felt it every time a Force-sensitive was nearby. He took a deep breath.

             “Ezra,” Hera whispered, “What’s wrong?” He looked back up to her. But before he could utter a word, the front door pinged, signifying that someone was about to come in. Hera put her finger to her lips, and the two rebels remained in their hiding spot, eyes glued to the front entrance.

             Three imperials walked in, and Ezra lowered his mask, watching them through the peepholes in the screen. The one in the middle immediately caught his eye. He had blue skin and red eyes, and the rank plate on his white tunic signified that he must be important. To his left stood a dark-haired man with the rank of captain, and to his right stood a girl with reddish-brown hair, her rank either a captain or lieutenant-commander. His eyes continued to linger on her as the sensation grew stronger.

              “Stand guard,” the dark-haired man said to the trooper, “No one in or out.”

              As he continued talking with the guard, Hera motioned to Ezra that they needed to make for the lift. As they inched a little closer to the wall opposite the front door, Ezra noticed that the captain and the blue-skinned man’s attention were focused away from the lift. But it was the girl who was the problem—she was looking out into the foyer, the lift directly in her line of vision.

              Ezra kept watching her, hoping that eventually she would look away. But as he continued to stare, the sensation coursing through his veins grew. He could feel the channel of energy becoming more clearly focused on her, a faint link of connection taking form. She was Force-sensitive, just like him, he realized. But before he could delve deeper into their connection, he saw her eyes widen and her head turn towards his position behind the screen. With her sudden realization, Ezra grew fearful, and the connection between them broke.

             “Well, I have increased security per your orders, Grand Admiral; but, I don’t understand why,” said the dark-haired man. As he spoke, Hera noticed the girl’s attention turn away from the lift. Seeing their window of opportunity, she grabbed Ezra’s arm and silently took off towards their only escape. “The rebel activity is far from here,” the dark-haired captain continued.

             With all three eyes turned away from them, Hera closed the lift door. The last thing Ezra saw before the doors closed was the girl, still fearfully looking towards the spot he had been hiding in only seconds ago.

~ ▪ ~

             The ping from the lift brought Elena out of her stupor.

             “It’s closer than you think, Captain,” she heard Thrawn say as he glanced in the lift's direction.

             As Thrawn and Slavin continued to talk, Elena kept her eyes glued to the spot where that odd tug had originated from. Something was behind that screen. But whatever that something was, she could not tell. It had only felt like a faint presence, like she was being watched, only the feeling was much more prominent and real. Hesitantly, she walked over to the screen and peered behind. Nothing.

             “Is everything alright, Commander?” Thrawn asked.

             She turned, and walked back. “Yes,” she said. “I just…thought I saw something, that’s all.” _Or perhaps I’m just finally going insane_ , she thought bleakly.

             “Captain Slavin,” a voice said through Slavin’s commlink. “A few of the guards request your and your cohorts’ presence at the front of the house.”

             “Very well,” he said.

             As Thrawn and Slavin turned to exit the house, Elena still lingered, watching that same spot for a few more seconds before turning to leave.

~ ▪ ~

             Once inside the lift, Ezra lifted his mask. “Who was that blue guy?” he asked.

             “I don’t know…but what happened back there?” Hera asked. “You looked very worried.”

             “Hera, that girl—the imperial—she can use the force,” he said.

             Her eyes widened. “What?”

             “It’s true,” he said. “That’s why she turned towards us. She could sense my presence.”

             Hera sighed. “We’ll need to tell Kanan. This is not good…”

             “Yeah, we need to get out of here before she tracks us down,” Ezra said.

             “We’ll we’re in luck. There’s a secret exit on the lower level,” Hera said.

             “Do you think they know about it?” asked Ezra.

             “I doubt it, but we’ll see.”

             “Do you think Chopper found the hostages yet?” he asked.

             Hera shook her head. “I don’t know, but I don’t want to risk comming him while in the house. Let’s get ourselves out first.” Hera said right as the lift door opened.

             Once off the lift, they snuck quietly over to the door opposite the lift entrance. But when Hera opened the door, her heart shot up into her throat. Imperial lieutenants infested the room, their control panels and equipment creating a cacophony of hums and beeping. She and Ezra quickly ducked beside the doorframe before anyone could see them. “I’ve never seen so many gutkurrs down here before,” Hera grumbled. “Come on.”

             She led Ezra down a different hallway, unsure of what to do now. The only other exit she could think of was the one through the kitchen, but there was no telling how many guards would be down that way. Still, it _was_ an option. Just as she and Ezra started making their way there, a familiar warbling from around the corner caught her attention.

            “Hi mom!” Chopper beeped.

            “Chopper!” Hera ran over to her droid. “Am I glad to see you. We could use some help getting out of here.”

            “Just tell me how I can help,” Chopper beeped.

            “Have you located the prisoners yet?” Hera asked.

            “Not yet,” he replied. “There are still more rooms to check.”

            “Ok, just keep looking” she pat the side of his head. “But we need to get out of here first. If we’re caught, it could put them in unnecessary danger.”

            “I can lead you out of here,” Chopper beeped. “There are less guards posted in the atrium.”

            Hera knew taking the lift would be too risky, so they decided to take the staircase back up. So far, the hallways were deserted, but just as they turned the corner leading to the staircase, she heard footsteps. They ducked into a nearby closet, leaving the automatic door slightly ajar. She peered out, expecting to see a stormtrooper walk by, but instead saw something entirely different. An older Twi’lek man passed by the door, a watchful look in his eyes. He was probably the tallest Twi’lek she had ever seen. He was well-built, with orange skin and a happy-go-lucky look on his face. And he was carrying…a _blaster?_

            As soon as he disappeared down the hall, the rebels emerged from hiding, and Hera watched the spot where he had turned.

            “Was that a hostage?” Ezra asked.

            “I’m not sure, but now I’m even more convinced that they’re down here,” Hera said. “Chopper,” she said to her droid, “Once we’re out of here, see if you can find out where that man went off to.”

            Chopper beeped an affirmative, and soon they were on their way upstairs.

~ ▪ ~

            “Chop was right,” said Hera. “There _are_ less guards here.” Only two guards stood watch at the front entrance, which was drastically less than the four to eight guards they saw prowling around the other rooms. Hera, Ezra, and Chopper stood off to the side behind the rightmost screen, keeping out of sight.

            “Well, I guess they’re not expecting prisons to just walk out the front door,” Ezra said. “We just need a diversion.”

            “Got you covered,” Chopper beeped. The little astromech rolled his way to the center of the foyer, where he began flailing his two little grasping arms frantically. “Hello! I’ve got a little situation!” he beeped, drawing in the guards’ attention.

            “Is that thing talking to us?” One of the guards asked the other.

            “Looks like it’s malfunctioning…” the other replied.

            As Chopper continued to distract the guards, Hera snuck towards the front door. But right as she turned around, it opened, and in stepped the blue-skinned man from before, along with the arrogant-faced captain and the girl Ezra claimed was Force-sensitive.

            She could do nothing to hide the shocked look on her face as she nearly ran into the blue-skinned man, who had raised his eyebrows when he saw her. Clutching her kalikori tighter, she lowered her head, hoping that none of them would recognize her.

            “Out of the way _servant_!” the dark-headed captain said contemptuously.

            “Uh-oh!” Chopper beeped as he rolled away.

            “You’re not permitted on these floors,” the captain scolded. “I have told you people to restrict your movements to the kitchen.” She kept her head down, but watched them all carefully. She could have sworn the blue-skinned man was subtly glaring at him from the side. The girl, however, looked ready to rip his head off.

            “Yes, sir. Sorry sir,” Hera said in her native Twi’lek accent. She began to walk away, her back slightly hunched.

            “Just a moment.” She froze at the sound of the blue-skinned man’s voice. “Guards, bring her here.” Ezra, who was waiting behind the wall with his helmet lowered, went over and grabbed Hera’s arm. He placed her in front of the blue-skinned imperial. “May I see that?” he politely asked, his red eyes on her kalikori. She reluctantly placed it in his hands. “I’m a visitor to your world,” he said in a calm yet commanding voice, “It occurs to me it might be beneficial to hear what you have to say about the imperial occupation.”

            “I don’t think I could be of any help to you,” she said, her accent wavering slightly.

            “Oh I disagree,” he said in a tone that made her think he knew something. “Bring her to your office for questioning,” he told Captain Slavin.

~ ▪ ~

            Elena watched as the scout trooper threw Hera Syndulla into the office chair. She had expected a challenge in finding the rebel woman due to her successful evasions in the past, but this had been too easy.

            But if finding Captain Hera standing right inside the house had not been surprising enough, seeing the kalikori Elena had hidden just yesterday was even more so. Though, it wasn’t hard to figure out _why_ she had it. Her father must have requested her to retrieve it. Now it lay in Thrawn’s hands, and a small part of her began to feel pity for the young woman.

            “Please! I am a poor refugee,” Hera pleaded in a native Twi'lek accent.

            “Captain, do you recognize this?” Thrawn extended the kalikori to Slavin. Elena lowered the lids of her eyes and frowned as he took it.

            “Yes,” Slavin said, “it was here…in my office!”

            “I thought I could sell it for food, my family is starving,” said Hera, still putting on her act.

            “No excuse!” Slavin exclaimed. “You shall make a valuable example to others of your kind who think to _steal_ from the Empire.” As Slavin spoke, Elena saw the scout trooper shift slightly. She looked up at him, his face obscured by the helmet. But as she continued to look, her eyes grew wide, and she averted her gaze. It was that odd sensation again, from before. The same feeling she had felt only an hour ago up in the foyer. As she brought her gaze back up to the scout trooper, Thrawn extended his hand, and Slavin handed him back the kalikori.

            “She’s far more valuable than you realize,” she heard Thrawn say, her focus still on the trooper.

            Confused, Slavin turned his head. “H-How do you mean?”

            “To defeat an enemy, you must know them,” Thrawn said as he walked towards the painting behind Hera, “Not simply their battle tactics, but their history, philosophy…art.” She turned her gaze towards Thrawn, who eyed the painting of Hera and her parents. “So I will ask you again, Captain,” Thrawn said, holding up the kalikori, “Do you know what this is?”

            “Some primitive, native trinket,” the captain spat.

            “It’s a kalikori,” Thrawn said. Hera’s eyes grew wide. “A revered Twi’lek heirloom, passed from parent to child through generations. Worthless to outsiders, priceless to _family_.”

            “Yes, well, she stole it,” Slavin said.

            “Yes, but _why_ ,” Thrawn said. But as he continued to taunt Hera, Elena felt that odd tugging grow stronger. Looking back at the trooper, she knew without a doubt it was emanating from him. “War, it’s all you’ve ever known, isn’t it?” she heard Thrawn say to Hera. “You were so young when you survived the Clone War. No wonder you are as equipped in spirit to fight as well as you do.” Elena felt a painful rush of adrenaline as the scout trooper slowly turned his head to face her. “War is…in your blood. I study the art of war, work to perfect it. But you,” out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thrawn lower his face close to Hera’s, “You were forged by it.”

           Elena still kept her gaze on the scout trooper, completely unaware that the eyes obscured by the helmet’s mask matched her own—blue as a twilight sky and just as equally worried and concerned.

           “Sir, she’s…just a peasant!” Slavin said.

           “It doesn’t matter where we come from, _Admiral_ ,” Hera snapped, shedding her faux accent and pulling Elena’s attention back to the scene before her. “Our will to be free is what’s going to beat you.”

           “You! You dare!” Slavin exclaimed.

           “Slavin please, you embarrass me in front of our host,” Thrawn said.

           “Host? What?” Slavin asked, flabbergasted.

           “May I introduce, Hera Syndulla,” Thrawn made a sweeping motion with his hand towards the painting, “Rebel pilot, freedom fighter, and military leader. Daughter of your nemesis, Cham Syndulla.”

           The movement had been so fast, but Elena could sense the tension coming from him. Her eyes shot back to the trooper as he quickly grabbed for his weapon. But before he could even lift it up, Thrawn stunned him with the blaster he always kept hooked to his belt, earning a gasp from both her and Hera. Elena watched the trooper crumple to the floor, bringing the steady stream of energy flowing between them to an abrupt halt.

           She looked back at Thrawn, who was peering down at a shocked Hera with his famed smugness.

           “How did you know?” Slavin asked.

           “Because rebels always have friends rushing to the rescue,” he icily replied.

~ ▪ ~

           Once one of the real guards made his way to the office, he yanked Hera, who was holding on to the scout trooper’s unconscious body the entire time, all the way to the control room on the lower level. Elena watched as he shoved them both to the ground in the room’s spare closet. As the scout trooper fell, his helmet popped off, revealing none other than Ezra Bridger, one of the rebels she had studied so much about. Her breath hitched.

           “An unexpected pleasure to meet you, Captain Hera Syndulla,” Thrawn said.

           Hera propped herself up on one knee, and turned. “Wish I could say the same, _Admiral_ ,” she growled.

           “It is a pity that our first encounter might…well, be our last,” he said as he held up her kalikori. “I will keep your kalikori in a place of honor.” He handed it to the same stormtrooper that had dragged her and Bridger down there.

           “If I knew _you’d_ take it, I would have smashed it when I had the chance,” she glared at him.

           “You surprise me,” Thrawn said. “Is your history worth so little to you?”

           “My family legacy belongs to _us_ alone,” she stood up. “It is not for some _collector’s_ curiosity.”

           “ _What_ did you say?!” an accusing Slavin barked, but Thrawn held up a hand to cut him off.

           “Forgive him,” Thrawn said to Hera. “I thank you for your hospitality,” he said before turning to leave. As the door shut behind them, it locked itself, trapping the two rebels inside. Thrawn and Slavin turned towards the room’s exit, leaving Elena to follow behind with a million different thoughts tangling up in her mind.

           “Have the kalikori transported to my ship,” Thrawn ordered Slavin.

           “We should just _destroy_ that piece of Twi’lek trash,” Slavin growled.

           And for the first time since meeting him, Elena watched Thrawn lose his cool. With both his hands, he gripped Slavin by the collar, nearly lifting the man off the floor. A shiver ran up her spine as he gave out a low, frustrated growl that turned into a… _hiss_? Terrified, she backed away as he continued to glare at Slavin, who looked about as scared as someone facing a firing squad.

           But after just one more agonizing second, Thrawn released him. “My apologies, Captain Slavin,” Thrawn said as he brushed the wrinkles he had made out of Slavin’s uniform. “I’ve forgotten not everyone is… _able_ to appreciate art as I do.” He lowered his hands, regaining his usual austere posture. “Now, if you’ll excuse my Officer’s Aide and me, I’m conducting an experiment that requires our attendance.” He turned to walk away. “I leave it to your command to finish the job.”

           “And so I shall…” Slavin said, still bewildered.

           Elena caught up with Thrawn. “You require I accompany you, Grand Admiral?” she asked.

           “Yes,” he answered. “And pack your belongings. If everything goes accordingly, we won’t need to spend another night on Ryloth.”

           She panicked internally for a second, knowing that she still needed to free those hostages.

           “If you’ll pardon my request, I believe it may be more beneficial for me to remain here until the rebels are dealt with.”

           Thrawn raised his brows. She glanced back at where Slavin had previously stood, and thought of something. “You honestly trust him not to mishandle anything?” Thrawn gave a thoughtful look, weighing her request. “I can stay behind and keep him in check.”

           After a second, something flickered in his red eyes, and he smiled slightly. “Actually, I believe that is an excellent idea, my dear.” With that same look in his eyes, he turned to leave. “Comm me if anything goes wrong. Once the rebels are dealt with, I will send a transport ship to retrieve you.”

           As she watched him leave, she still kept her eyes on the door as it closed behind him, wondering what that look in his eyes had meant.

~ ▪ ~

           It had only been a couple of hours, but the fighting made it feel like much more. It was late now, the moons hanging high in the sky. Cham, Gobi, Numa, and the _Ghost_ crew had taken covered behind a giant boulder, ducking and firing at the imperials whenever possible. But suddenly, the enemy firing had stopped, and Cham peeked around the boulder.

           “They stopped firing,” Numa said. “Why?”

           Cham glanced at the Imperial Walker from behind the boulder, the sound of an incoming transmission filling the mountainous pass.

           “Cham Syndulla,” said a large hologram of Captain Slavin over the Walker, “I would have a word with you. It concerns your daughter.”

           “Where is she?!” he yelled from behind the rock.

           “I have your _precious_ Hera,” Slavin said, “And the boy, Ezra Bridger. They’ll face my blaster squad unless you surrender to me.”

           Exiting his hiding spot, he walked towards the Walker’s spotlight. As a father, he would do anything for his daughter—even trade his life for hers. “Captain Slavin,” he said, standing in the spotlight while the others remained in hiding, “I will surrender to you, but what assurance will you give me that my daughter and the boy will be release?”

           “Only that if you do not arrive at the exchange tomorrow by sundown, they will both be terminated.” And with that, he ended his transmission.

           “Could the trap _be_ more obvious?” Sabine said.

           “We know…” said Gobi.

           “And I am counting on all of you to use my sacrifice to save Hera and Ezra,” Cham said.

~ ▪ ~

           As soon as Slavin finished his transmission, Elena backed away from her eavesdropping spot by the door. No one had seen her, save for a little astromech droid standing on the other side of the doorframe, almost like he was listening in on Slavin’s transmission too. And as soon as it ended, it rolled away, off to do whatever it was droids do.

 _Tomorrow at sundown_ , she thought, _that’s when I’ll need to do it_. By eavesdropping, she learned that the exchange would take place at the house’s front entrance, and that all guards would be present. Which meant that no one would be giving a moment’s attention to the other parts of the house. She’d make her move once everyone started gravitating towards the entrance tomorrow.

          Finding a private room, she pulled out her comm. It was late, but maybe Caz was still up.

          “Caz?” she said. “Caz, _are you there_?”

          She waited about five seconds before he answered. “ _Yes_ ,” he said.

          “ _Tomorrow at sundown_ ,” she said. “ _That is when I’ll release you all_.”

          He laughed. “ _Perfect_.”

~ ▪ ~

          Back in the storage room, Hera’s heart sank. Ezra had woken up just minutes ago, but was still feeling the dizzying effects of the stun gun. She glanced his way as he lifted himself into a sitting position. “I’m sorry, Ezra,” she said. “It was selfish of me to go after my kalikori. I put you and everyone else in danger for a personal mission…”

          “But we wanted to help,” Ezra said, “Because it was important to you.”

          “But we weren’t ready for him—that grand admiral Fulcrum warned us about,” she said. “I should have known better…”

          “You’re positive that was him?” he asked.

          “He certainly fits Fulcrum’s description of being effective and thorough…” she replied with a hint of venom in her voice.

          A familiar warbling outside the door caught their attention. Ezra crawled towards the door, putting an ear against it before it abruptly swung open. Chopper rolled in, knocking Ezra to the ground.

          “Cham is surrendering!” Chopper beeped frantically.

          “My father’s _actually_ surrendering?” Hera asked.

          “To free us,” Ezra said, lifting himself back off the ground. “Well, they can’t make a prisoner exchange without prisoners. Let’s go,” He motioned to the door.

          “Not yet,” Hera said. “We won’t make it out, there are too many guards. And we still don’t know if the hostages have escaped. We’re going to go through with this exchange…but on my terms.” She turned to her droid. “Chopper, I want you to raid the imperial armory and get as many explosives as you can.”

          “This should be fun,” he beeped.

          “You’re…you’re going to blow up your house?” Ezra asked.

          “My home is my crew, and my family,” she said, putting a reassuring hand on Ezra’s shoulder. She turned back to Chopper. “Chop, have you found the hostages? It’s important that they escape now…” she said, worried.

          “Yes,” he replied. “They’re in the kitchens. But I cannot open the door…”

          “Why not?” Ezra asked.

          “It’s wired to one of the control room’s computers,” he replied.

          “Don’t free them just yet, Chop,” Hera said. “Wait until right before the exchange happens. Once they’re free, make sure they’re safely away before setting off the explosives.”

          “Why wait?” Ezra asked.

          “Because they’ll think we had something to do with it,” Hera replied. “That could jeopardize us _and_ my father if the imperials decide to punish someone for it.”

          “Good point,” he said.

          “Here,” opening one of his compartments, Chopper pulled out a commlink and handed it to Hera. “I’ll tell you when the hostages have escaped.”

          “Thank you, Chop,” she smiled.

~ ▪ ~

          Chopper discreetly rolled out of the room, locking the door behind him. The closet they were keeping Hera and Ezra in was part of the control and communications room. He quietly rolled passed Slavin, who was too busy working on weapons placements for tomorrow to even notice his existence.

          Once in the hallway, he headed straight for the makeshift armory, where he found a box full of small explosives and a detonator. He laughed to himself, excitement running through his circuits. He always enjoyed a good sabotage. He stowed away as many explosives and the detonator as he could, and rolled away.

          He knew the safest option would be to wait until right before the exchange tomorrow to place the explosives, so until then, he would bide his time, keeping an eye on the imperials.

          And also to complete his second objective. After rolling down a couple of hallways, he found the kitchens, and peered in from the side of the door. The hostages were still inside, busily cleaning the kitchen in preparation for tomorrow.

          As he continued to watch, his visual scanner caught sight of an approaching figure in front of him. An imperial with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Human, female, with red-brown hair and blue eyes. He watched as she subtly glanced inside the kitchen and continued her way down the hall.

          “Hello there, little guy,” she said when she passed Chopper. She lightly pat the top of his head when she passed, and took a left down another hallway.  

          Curious, he kept his visual scanner facing the direction she had taken for a few more seconds before rolling off to collect more explosives.

~ ▪ ~

          “Time to say ‘good-bye’ to your father,” Elena heard Slavin say to Hera Syndulla and Ezra Bridger, who he had kept locked up in the same storage closet the entire night. While Slavin’s back was turned, she had quietly ducked into the control room and hid behind a large storage box. Keeping quiet, she watched as Slavin and two stormtroopers cuffed the rebels and led them out of the room, leaving her completely alone.

          She waited ten seconds before quietly emerging from her hiding spot and headed straight for one of the computers. After a few seconds of locating the correct program, she found the house lock controls.

          “Come on…” she said as she scrolled through the options. “Here!” she said quietly when she found the outdoor kitchen exit. She changed the setting to “unlock” and quickly commed Caz.

          “Caz,” she said, “Caz, _do you copy_?”

          “ _You unlocked the door_?” he asked.

          “ _Yes! Wait a couple of minutes before you make your escape. The guards have only just started moving to the front of the house._ ”

          “ _What is going on_?” he asked.

          “ _Those off-world rebels I told you about have made an appearance. Slavin has pulled all the guards from their posts to the front of the house.”_ She ducked back behind the boxes when she heard a couple of ensigns walk by the door. “ _Will you let me know once you’ve all escaped_?” Elena asked quietly.

          “ _Yes, sweet girl_ ,” he answered. “ _Everyone has been alerted, so we will leave in the next few minutes_.”

          “ _Ok, and_ ,” Elena’s breath hitched, “ _Once you’re out of the house, please destroy the comm I gave you. It will keep both of us safe just in case_.”

          He gave a soft chuckle. “ _If you insist_.”

~ ▪ ~

          Once all the guards had filed out, Chopper began planting his bombs all over the first floor. He had just finished up in the atrium when he saw Captain Slavin and two troopers leading a handcuffed Hera and Ezra out of the front door.

          He glanced around the house’s ornate main entrance. Deep down, a part of him didn’t want to blow up the house. It had been his home ever since Hera rescued him from a crashed Y-wing during the Clone Wars. But he just kept telling himself that his home was now the _Ghost_ , and so was Hera’s.

          He almost rolled out of his hiding spot when he saw another approaching figure and quickly scrambled back behind the screen. It was the imperial girl from last night, near the kitchens. She clutched an overnight bag anxiously as she made her way to the front door. His scanners picked up a look of worry on her face.

          Once she left, he placed the last five of his bombs, and rolled off to check on the hostages.

          All he would need to do is access the control room’s computer and unlock the door. The prisoners could figure out what to do from there. He approached the kitchen door, but when he peered inside, his thoughts froze for a second before taking a rescan of his surroundings.

          The room was completely empty. The prisoners were gone.

~ ▪ ~

          Hera stood next to Ezra as they watched the _Ghost_ make its landing near the front entrance. Slavin clutched her arm painfully tight, and she watched as the surrounding stormtroopers readied their blasters.

          “Steady,” Slavin said to the troopers, “On my command.”

          After the Ghost landed, the ramp lowered, and her father and Kanan stepped out.

          “Syndulla,” Slavin took a step forward. “At last we meet face to face. Step forward, alone, and turn yourself over as promised.”

          “Not until you release them,” Hera’s father said with conviction. Some of the troopers stationed on the second floor balcony clutched their blasters tighter, aiming them directly at Cham.

          Slavin signaled them a ‘stand-down’ command. “We’ll make a simultaneous exchange.” He turned towards Hera and Ezra, pointing his hand-held blaster at the former. “Start walking,” he barked at her.

          Hera and Ezra walked towards the Ghost alone. She began to glance around, hoping that Chopper had finished up with planting the bombs and freeing the prisoners. She saw mostly troopers stationed in front of the house and on the second floor balcony. The only two imperial officers in the vicinity were Slavin and the girl with russet hair. She stood on Slavin’s left, a few steps away from him.

          A familiar warbling pulled her out of her thoughts. She didn’t even need to turn around to know that Chopper had just come out of the front door. And she heard his message too—the bombs were in place and the hostages were out of the house. She then returned her attention to her father, who had also walked forward to meet them in the middle.

          “I am sorry, father,” she said once they had come close enough.

          “It’s alright, Hera,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, “Even I have been captured before.”

          She apprehensively lowered her gaze. “No…I’m sorry about the house…” She brought her apologetic eyes back up to his. She had heard Chopper’s wheels stop, knew he was right behind her. Turning around, she yelled his name, signaling him to press the detonator.

          And when he did, she crouched down and covered her face as a violent explosion rocked the house.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> Fun fact--the bounty hunter Elena was talking about is Cad Bane! He's one of my favorites, so I had to find a way to include him in the story somehow.  
> And I seriously wanted to ask--are you guys enjoying the story so far? I want to make sure I'm keeping it as interesting and well-written as possible. If not, what are some improvements I could work on? I really want to hear from you guys about what you like/don't like and what you want to see more of. 
> 
> In the next chapter, we're going to learn about how Elena ended up in the slums and how she met Tal. We're also going to learn a lot about Thrawn and his past (more specifically, why he's in the Empire, and maybe some facts about the Chiss). So far, he's been pretty hesitant about sharing too much with Elena. Honestly, they've both been a little too hesitant about sharing too much with each other. There will be some spoilers from the new Thrawn book. 
> 
> I won't be including a chapter exclusively for "Iron Squadron," which is the next episode Thrawn is in. In all honesty, I didnt' like that episode at all, and it won't do anything to move the plot forward. Instead, I might include just a scene or two, but the next few chapters will serve as build up for next episode, "An Inside Man." After that will be "Through Imperial Eyes," which I am super excited about. I literally already have it written and want to post it right now, haha.


	12. Honesty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phoenix Squadron escapes from the Empire's clutches. Elena has a revelation about her and Thrawn's relationship. Hera, Kanan, and Ezra discuss their new enemies.

                The smell of smoke and destruction filled her nostrils as Elena fought to lift herself up. Her eyes would only open just wide enough to let in two blurry slits of light. She grimaced, slowly lifting a hand to her right ear where a small ringing had begun to buzz. Beneath her fuzzy hearing she could hear the muffled yells of stormtroopers and blaster fire. Propped herself up on one elbow, she took a couple of deep breaths; and after a few seconds, both her hearing and vision began to focus.

                She glanced up. The explosion had flung her forward—that much she knew. Her overnight bag had broken her fall. Rubbing her sore head, she looked behind and gasped. At least five stormtroopers lay dead around her, blood splattering the ground near the front door. Slavin was dead, his head busted open by a piece of shrapnel. Bile threatened to rise up her throat as she remembered how close she had been standing next to him. How close she had been to a brush with death.

                She gasped as a furious pinging from her commlink pulled her attention away from the carnage.

                She activated the link, and the voice of Tal’s distraught grandfather came through. “Elena!” Caz yelled. “Elena, _I don’t care if you are with imperials, I must know if you are ok.”_

                “ _I am_!” she answered, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. She could have been missing a limb and would have told him the same. She needed him and the rest of the hostages to get as far away from here as possible, not worry over her. “ _Where are you? Have you escaped?”_

                As she waited for his answer, she took another look at the destruction. The _Ghost_ hovered above, still attempting escape. One of their members stood on the ship’s ramp, fending off imperial blaster fire with what looked like a laser sword. She shook her head in disbelief. It was just like the laser sword that monster from her dream had, only this one was blue instead of red. She watched its wielder as he expertly deflected each blast, almost like he knew the exact direction they were coming from before the troopers could even fire them.

                “Elena? _Did you hear me?_ ” Caz asked, bringing her out of her stupor.

                “Caz!” she said quickly. “ _I’m so sorry. What was it you said?”_ She looked down, and saw that a second light on her commlink had begun blinking. _Oh no. Thrawn must be trying to contact me_ , she thought.

 _“We’re almost down the mountain, sweet girl,”_ Caz said. _“I will go ahead and destroy the comm. I know exactly what to do from here.”_

                She exhaled, wishing that their good-bye didn’t have to be like this. “Caz _, thank you for everything. I do hope I will see you again.”_ Her heart sank, knowing that she probably won’t ever get that chance.

 _“As do I, my child. Do not forget all that I have told you.”_ The back of her eyes stung, new tears threatening to break free. _“May our paths cross again one day.”_ The comm ended in an abrupt squeal of static, and she shut off the link. She closed her eyes, a few tears spilling through, and spent a few seconds trying to regain her voice before activating the second comm call.

               “Commander?” Thrawn said. He sounded gravely serious. “Commander, are you alright?”

               “I am,” she answered as calmly as she could. “I’m fine, but the rebels are escaping.” She glanced back up just in time to see the _Ghost_ make its get-away. As the ship’s ramp closed, she caught one last glimpse of the swordsman. Though he wore a mask over his eyes, she could see his brown hair tied back in a familiar looking pony-tail. A beard covered the lower half of his face, just like in the file pictures she had studied. _Kanan Jarrus._

               “I am sending a transport ship down to retrieve you,” Thrawn said before ending the comm. 

               Her head started to spin again. Burying her face in the crook of her arm, she tried her best to block out the pain.

~ ▪ ~

               "They are in range, sir." The young ensign manning the guns of Thrawn’s light cruiser turned to him, awaiting his command.

               Thrawn watched as the _Ghost_ hurtled towards his ship, angled so they would fly right over head. "Hold your fire," he said as the rebels skirted past. "They've earned their victory today." And little did they know that their meager victory only brought him one step closer to wiping out their rebellion.

               He clutched Captain Syndulla’s kalikori in his hand and closed his eyes. Very rarely would he ever feel his heart drop, and he hated the sensation of it. But every second that had passed before he heard Elena’s voice only amplified the feeling. He breathed softly, allowing the cold hand of dread to slowly release its grasp on his heart.

               "Sir.” Opening his eyes, Thrawn turned as another ensign entered the bridge. “There are reports of at least eight imperial casualties, including Captain Slavin.”

               Thrawn retained his stoic façade, disguising the residual fear he still felt inside. "That is less than I expected, given the unforeseen circumstances. Are there any reports on Commander Rizzo's condition?"

               "A few troopers report that she appears to be ok, but is having difficulties with standing up."

               "Send a medical team down to retrieve her, and have the house fire put out. I want the entire property checked for bodies."

               "Yes sir," the ensign said before turning away.

               Within a few minutes, Elena was back on the ship and taken to its small infirmary. She must had fallen asleep from the effects of her head injury. She lay peacefully on one of the medical beds as a medic droid took her vitals and hooked her up to a heart monitor. Once he finished, an officer poked his head through the door and handed the droid the small, crumpled canvas bag Elena had used to store her clothes.

               “She should be waking up in a few minutes, sir,” the droid told Thrawn as he placed her bag at the foot of her bed.

               “Perfect,” Thrawn answered. “And thank you. If you are finished, I would like a few minutes to talk in private with my Officer’s Aide.”

               The droid left through the door, leaving him and his lover alone.

               He laid Captain Syndulla’s kalikori on a small side table and took hold of one of Elena’s pale, slender hands. So small and fragile. And so starkly different from his own, which were covered in calluses and light scars earned by his life in exile. He brushed his thumb over her soft skin as his eyes traveled up to her face. He loved how beautiful she looked while sleeping, and he especially loved waking up to it. It still baffled him how humans acquired so much sleep in order to function optimally, whereas Chiss only needed three to four hours. But if that meant he could wake up to her sound and peaceful face every time they slept together, he was certainly grateful for it.

               He closed his eyes as another tight wave of emotion coursed through him. He had almost lost her today. As a warrior, he had trained himself to always be mentally prepared for the unexpected misfortune of losing a comrade. But it was often difficult when that comrade happened to be more than just a comrade. He had experienced something similar with Eli as their friendship continued to grow over the years. The thought of losing him, both his good friend and mentee, had become such an incessant worry in the back of his mind. And now that worry had reared its ugly head again; only this time, it felt so much worse.

               Worse because she had nearly died due to her own recklessness.

               Had she not opted to stay behind, she would not be resting unconsciously before him. And he knew her staying behind had something to do with the Twi’lek prisoners. Whether that was to provide them with more comforting words or to beseech Slavin to release them, he would have to find out. Regardless, he hoped the hostages were safe. After Batonn, the last thing he wanted was more innocent blood on his hands.

               He gently brushed a few strands of russet hair out of her face. Even with the small bruise forming on the left side of her forehead and the small cut beneath her chin, she was still just as beautiful to him. The thought of losing her was unbearable, and he needed to do everything in his power to prevent that from happening.

               As she rustled awake, he grabbed a chair from the corner of the room, sat down, and waited for her to speak.

~ ▪ ~

               Elena could feel her brow crinkle as she forced her eyes to peek open.

               “W-Where am I?” her voice dripped with sleepiness and fatigue.

               “You’re in the light cruiser’s infirmary, my dear.” Her eyes shot open at the sound of Thrawn’s low, suave voice. As she tried to lift herself up, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and laid her back down. “Are you alright?”

               “I am,” she touched the left side of her head and winced. “I may have a concussion, and some bruising, but other than that I’m ok.” She turned to Thrawn, giving him a soft smile just in case her words did not convince him. But it faded as quickly as it appeared. “The rebels escaped.”

               “I know,” he said. “It’s ok, my dear. They may have escaped, but they have unknowingly given me more information than I could have hoped for.”

               She smiled weakly, happy that both she and Thrawn had experienced some success today. She slowly turned her body so she could face him. But right as she moved her legs, she sent her overnight bag—which she had been previously unaware of—hurtling towards the ground, its contents spilling all over the floor.

               Her heart stopped at the reverberating sound of wood hitting the metal flooring. She didn’t even have to look down to know her kalikori had flown out of the bag, and that it was the very thing Thrawn was leaning down to pick up.

               Heat filled her face as he stood and lifted the little totem, holding it gently and respectfully as he studied its design.

               “I see you’ve found one of your own,” he finally said.

               She closed her eyes. Now he knew that there had been more to her secret little visits with the Twi’lek hostages. No doubt he knew that they had escaped. “I can explain.”

               He turned his eyes back to her face and lifted a curious brow. _I’m listening_ , it said.

               Her lower lip quivered slightly at her loss for words, her large blue eyes betraying her secret.

               “I assume you received it from one of the hostages?” he asked. His tone was steady, void of anger. He sounded more curious than anything.

               “I-I did,” she stammered.

               He turned his eyes back to the kalikori. “Are they safe?”

               Another shot of adrenaline jolted her heart. “S-safe?”

               “The hostages, my dear,” he said calmly, bringing his eyes back to her face. He sat back down, placing the kalikori in her hand. “Are they safe?”

               “T-They are,” she said, tucking it in the crook of her elbow. “I-I’m sorry, Thrawn. They were starving, and I couldn’t just—“

               “In regards to what just happened, you did the right thing,” he said gently, killing the words before they came out of her mouth. “And I appreciate your ingenuity and desire to help others.” She felt her heart slowly start to relax. “However…” And then constrict again. “There was no way you could have known about the impending explosion. And had that not happened, Slavin would have no doubt launched an investigation on whoever released his prisoners seeing that only an imperial could have opened all outside doors…”

               She took a breath as he continued. “Eventually all signs would have lead back to you, and you would have most likely found yourself court martialed…or worse.” The sound of the heart monitor’s increasing frequency stabbed her ears. “My dear, I don’t think you truly know just how…ruthless the Empire can be.”

               She angrily thought back to the starving Twi’leks she had just saved. Of the girl Slavin had yelled at. Of Tal’s grandfather. “I think I do now.”

               “Please know that _I_ am not angry with your actions,” Thrawn said. “Others, however, may not understand your actions as I do.” Her expression softened, and she could read it clearly in his eyes: _I cannot allow anything bad to happen to you_.

               “Then you understand then?” she asked. “Thrawn, they were _starving_. I had to give them some of my ration packs because they were not allowed to eat the food.”

               “I do understand,” he answered. “And had this been my ruling operation, I would have released the hostages a long time ago, seeing as we did not have the resources to sustain them nor did they prove to be an effective bargaining chip with Cham Syndulla.” He silently exhaled, still speaking in his usual calm tone of voice. “But my point is, Elena, that you _must_ be careful and not make such reckless decisions. The Empire will not tolerate subversive actions.” Beet red, she looked away, and started fidgeting with her bracelet. “And I would also appreciate it if you would be a little more… _honest_ with me the next time you feel so strongly about something.”

               She stopped.

 _Honest_.

              How could she be honest with him when he wouldn’t even tell her about his past? It had been gnawing away in the back of her mind for weeks—the way his answers were always either vague or too short. Perhaps that was why she had been so secretive about spending time with the hostages. Perhaps she didn’t trust him enough to understand, since he seemed to not trust her enough to talk about where he came from. At least _she_ had shared everything she knew about her life with him—life at the orphanage, meeting Janali, attending Royal Imperial. Everything aside from her stint in slums. And she didn’t even feel hypocritical about that, because whereas she had told him almost everything, he had told her almost nothing. Oddly enough, she felt no anger towards the silent revelation, only a deep curiosity. And…sadness.

              “You are more than just an Officer’s Aide to me, my dear Elena. I need to know that you can trust me.” He took her hand, and she looked up. “I may not be angry, but I am displeased that you chose not to tell me.”

              “Of course,” she said. “And you have every right to be.” She stared down at her bracelet’s letters. “I was only trying to be careful so Slavin would not find out. But you’re right. I should have been more honest and forthcoming with you.” She sighed. “But that’s just it…” She paused, forcing herself to look back up at him. “Thrawn.” He fixated those red, all-knowing eyes on her. “If I could be blunt…I don’t think we’ve been very honest with each other.” His eyes lowered as he weighed her words, that unreadable expression forming on his face. “And I’m not talking about what happened just now. T-This has been going on ever since…well…ever since we became closer.”

              “I agree,” he said in that low, calm voice she loved so much. He kept his gaze off of her as he spoke. “You wish to know more of my origins, and why I have been so reluctant to share its details with you.”

 _I could never truly hide anything from him_ , she thought. An odd wave of relief passed through her in knowing they were finally having this conversation. “Of course I want to know more about you,” she said softly. “And in return, I will tell you what _I_ have been so reluctant to share before.” The comment brought his red eyes back up to hers, his face still infuriatingly unreadable. She took a breath, trying not to stumble over her words. “I-I didn’t want to tell you all those months ago because I was ashamed, but…” she paused. “I think I’m ready to tell you the story of what happened between me leaving the orphanage and joining Royal Imperial as a cadet.” With her hand still in his, he began stroking it gently to help calm her down. “Thrawn…don’t you think that if we’re going to…” she lifted her free hand slightly, as if to gesture, but rested it back on the bed, “…maintain this relationship, we should at least be open and honest with each other?”

             His eyes lowered again, but he brought them back up. “Please know that I have only been secretive so as to protect you from potential danger.”

             She knitted her brows together. “I don’t understand.”

             He exhaled through his nose. “It is merely a precaution, my dear. I need to be very careful of what I say and where I say it. But I had every intention of telling you one day once the time was right.”

             A precaution? A precaution from _what_? His people? If he were truly exiled, wouldn’t his people not give a damn about who he told his life story to?

             A sobering wave of sadness suddenly washed over her. How could she know him so well, yet still not know him at all? Aside from his species, the name of his home planet, and the fact that he was exiled, there truly wasn’t that much he had shared with her. _I don’t even know how_ old _he is_ , she thought bitterly. Did Chiss age like humans? They had to be similar. After all, aside from his blue skin and red eyes, Thrawn certainly _looked_ human.

             “P-Perhaps we can speak more…when we’re back on the ship?”

             “I believe that would be an excellent idea,” he said. “Once you’re deemed well enough to resume your duties, we will talk in my office.” He looked back down at the Rizzo kalikori. “They must have thought highly of you to give you such a gift.”

             “They did,” she almost whispered.

             He left her with a gentle kiss on her forehead before returning to the bridge with Captain Hera’s kalikori in hand. He planned to depart for the _Chimaera_ , which had since resumed its normal post near Lothal, within the hour.

             Finally, she was going to learn more about him. She eased under the thin white covers, holding the kalikori in her hand. She studied the patterns as her thoughts swirled. Too much had happened today, but in the midst of the chaotic storm her mind had become, one thought bubbled up and took hold of her. That boy—Ezra Bridger. She could still remember that strange sensation that had passed between them in Slavin’s office, and how abruptly the connection had broken when Thrawn had stunned him. It was so similar to that strange sensation she had felt at the ball, only this time it felt much warmer and much less hostile. There was no denying it anymore. She wasn’t crazy, and she wasn’t imagining things. _Something_ was going on, and she needed to know what it was. What was it the Empire was calling Bridger again? A _Jedi_? Such a strange term, she thought. Maybe they have something to do with this strange power? As soon as she was back on the _Chimaera_ , she would need to find someone to talk to about these Jedi. She knew that Thrawn did not know much about them, nor would the rest of the crew she knew, seeing that Jedi had all supposedly died. But someone _did_ pop into mind. _Agent Kallus_. She remembered Thrawn’s words after meeting the ISB agent--that he had had first-hand encounter with the rebels, which meant he must have had a first-hand encounter with Bridger and Jarrus, the two Jedi. Perhaps she could talk with him. _Or not_... She found that she was still weary of him. She knew it had just been a dream, but the fear she felt had yet to subside. She had been watching him for the past few weeks before leaving for Ryloth, and he seemed so…sneaky. Always appearing when she least expected it. He seemed to always run into her near Thrawn’s quarters. What if he became suspicious of her and Thrawn? She scrunched her face in frustration. She needed to be careful. Maybe start being more polite and less aloof around him too. That might quell any suspicion he might have of her. Maybe.

             As her thoughts danced on, she soon found herself dozing off. She was asleep seconds after feeling the jump to hyperspace.

~ ▪ ~

             "Well, that should be the rest of it," Hera said as Zeb lowered the last box of supplies. It was dark now. After the explosion, the crew found a safe location on the edge of the province, where Cham knew a few of the tunnels were still intact.

             "I cannot express my thanks enough, my daughter," Cham said as he hugged Hera. "Though, I am still so sorry about the kalikori…"

             Hera shook her head. "I thought I would need it to keep my mother's memory alive, but," she smiled softly, "I have you, I have Kanan, and I'm surrounded by my family every day," she said as she turned to look at her crew. "As long as we hold on to that, she'll live on." Her voice cracked a tiny bit at the end, and her father gave her another hug.

             "You always know where to find me," he said as he pulled back to look at her face. "Remember, don't be a stranger."

             Hera chuckled. "I won't, father."

             "Goodbye, my daughter," he said as he, Gobi, and Numa began making their way with their new supplies to the mouth of the tunnel. "May our paths cross again soon."

             "Goodbye, father," she said as the tunnel swallowed him up. She and her crew boarded the _Ghost_ , and after a few minutes, were back in space. With the planet still blockaded, they snuck by as discreetly as they could, and jumped to hyperspace.

             Once they were in the safety of lightspeed, Hera leaned back in the pilot’s chair, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.

             She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Kanan, who sat down in the copilot seat next to her.

             "How are you feeling?" Kanan asked.

             She let out a small breath through her nostrils, a spurt of distress spreading from her heart to her veins. "Honestly…a little worried."

             "Worried?" Kanan asked.

             "Ezra and I came face-to-face with Grand Admiral Thrawn," she said, eyes downcast.

             She watched his mouth quirk to the side. It was hard to tell the rest of his expression with that large mask covering his eyes and forehead. "That's the guy Fulcrum warned us about."

             "Yeah, that's the one," she flatly replied. "And that's not all. Ezra believes that one of the imperials working with him is Force-sensitive."

             "An Inquisitor?" Kanan asked, worried.

             "By the looks of her, no," Hera said. She turned her head at the soft hiss the door made as it opened.

             "Ezra," Kanan said, "You think one of the imperials is Force-sensitive?"

             "Yeah," he said as he walked in, his blue eyes wide with concern, "That's what I came in to tell you."

             "What happened?" Kanan asked.

             "I saw her twice, and both times I could sense her presence. And she could sense mine," he said.

             "Anything else you could sense from her? I hope we're not dealing with an Inquisitor-in-training…" Kanan said.

             "That's just it," Ezra said. "She's not an Inquisitor, or a Jedi, or anything I think. I could sense that she was inexperienced, like she had only just discovered her power. But I could also tell that the Force was strong with her…" As Ezra spoke, Hera thought of the girl, how meek and quiet she had been in the presence of Thrawn and that imperious captain. She seemed almost harmless.

             "This isn't good. For us or her," Kanan said. "If the Empire discovers that she's Force-sensitive, they'll ship her off to be trained as an Inquisitor." He turned to Hera. "Do you think she works for Thrawn?"

             "I'm not sure," Hera replied. "I hope not though…"

             Ezra shook his head. "I guess we'll just have to keep an eye out for a red-headed imperial if we run into Thrawn again."

             Hera saw Kanan lift his head slightly at the mention of her hair color. He addressed Ezra, "Any other details you caught about her?"

             "Not really, other than she looks like she's in her early twenties, and kind of on the quiet side," Ezra said.

             Kanan nodded his head slightly and rose out of his chair.

             "Everything alright, Kanan?" Hera asked.

             "Yeah," he answered. "I just, feel a little hungry. You want anything?"

             "Oh no, I'm ok," Hera answered. Kanan pat her shoulder affectionately before exiting the cockpit.

             Ezra took Kanan's place in the copilot chair. "I guess things are going to get a bit more challenging…" Ezra said.

             "Yeah," Hera sighed. She watched the hyperspace lines dissolve, replaced by the red and white planet of Atollon. "It's starting to look that way.”


	13. A New Weapon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena is taken to medical while Thrawn makes big plans for a new imperial weapon. Meanwhile, Agent Kallus and Elena have an interesting conversation.

               “Ow,” Elena yelped softly as she tried not to flinch. The medical droid’s cold metal hand held her arm as he injected the medicine.

               “I’ve given you a very strong painkiller,” the droid explained. “It will also help speed up the healing process for any bruising and your head injuries. I will warn you though—it will make you slightly loopy.”

               She stifled a giggle. “I guess it’s safe to assume I’ll have the rest of the day off then.”

               Once they exited hyperspace, she and Thrawn took a transport ship from the light cruiser back to the _Chimaera_. The medic droid had moved her off the bed and on to a small wheelchair.

               “When do you think Commander Rizzo will be ready to resume her duties?” Thrawn asked as the droid rolled her next to him. She kept her shoulders back and took gentle breathes as the beginning effects of the medication settled in. Hypersensitive of her surroundings, she kept her mouth shut, afraid the medicine might make her say something foolish.

               “I calculate that Commander Rizzo will show vast improvements by tomorrow morning. However, I recommend that she use today and tomorrow for recovery.”

                Thrawn nodded, and soon after that the ramp to their transporter opened. Thrawn had not taken but three steps onto the _Chimaera’s_ hangar bay floor when an officer approached him.

               “Sir, we realize that you have just returned from a mission on Ryloth; however, a team of your highest ranking officers wish to hold a quick meeting with you—they say it concerns a new weapon project.”

               “Ah,” Thrawn sighed. “Excellent. I assume this meeting will be held in B2187?” The rest of their conversation faded from Elena’s ears as the two men strode away.

               “Alright, Commander Rizzo,” the droid said as he wheeled her in the opposite direction Thrawn had taken. “I already have a bed reserved for you in medical.”

~ ▪ ~

               Agent Kallus meandered down the austere gray hallways on soft footsteps. A mouse droid scurried past his feet, furiously squeaking as it rolled to its next destination. This side of the ship had been deathly quiet for the past couple of weeks, and he supposed that had to do with the Grand Admiral’s absence.

               Nearly two weeks had gone by since Grand Admiral Thrawn and his aide left for Ryloth, and Agent Kallus had been—at first—grateful for the respite. He did, however, have a secret agenda to fulfill, and some of the tasks on that agenda included gleaning information from Thrawn. After about a week, he had been more than ready to resume his role as the rebel informant, Fulcrum.

               He started at the sound of voices down the hall, and quickly ducked behind a corner. He silently cursed himself. Being Fulcrum had definitely taken its toll on him. The more secret transmissions he made, the more paranoid and naked he felt around other imperials. Though the instinct to flee and stay out of sight had grown stronger, he still had no reason to hide from them. But as they began speaking, he was glad that he did.

               “So, do you think the Grand Admiral will be pleased with our progress?” A man’s voice traveled down the hallway.

               “He will be more than pleased,” answered a woman. Kallus could immediately place her voice. _Commander Faro_. One of Thrawn’s most trusted officers who he often left the _Chimaera_ in charge of in his absence. Intrigued, Kallus kept listening.

               She continued, “The engineering team has done an outstanding job. I have no doubt that this—“

               She paused. Probably glancing around to make sure no one was listening in. Kallus leaned in closer to the corner’s edge as she dropped her voice low. “—this new weapon will prove effective in quelling this rebels.”

               “I’m sure the Grand Admiral will want to start mass production immediately,” the man said in an equally lower tone. Kallus could hear their approaching footsteps and their near whispers grow louder. Panicking, he leaned against the wall.

               But when the two imperials turned the corner, they saw no one, and continued their way down the hall. Kallus watched them turn the corner as he used all his might to hold himself up using the ceiling’s metal rafters. Once they were out of sight, he dropped down. Hands on his knees, he gulped for air as he thought about how easy that would have been if he were younger. Now he was pushing thirty-nine, and jumping up to hang onto ceiling rafters was becoming increasingly difficult.

               A new weapon? Perhaps after Thrawn’s return, he would learn more details. But he needed to warn the rebels immediately. Even if it was only a small snip of vague information, anything would be helpful. His chrono read 1913 hours. It would be dark on Lothal very soon, making it the best time to beam out a secret transmission.

               He made his way towards the hangar, where he could take a transport ship down to Lothal with no questions asked. From there he would make his way by speeder to the old communications tower, where his transmission equipment lay waiting for him.

               As he snaked down more gray hallways, he eventually came upon Commander Rizzo’s room—B3006. But before thoughts of the mysterious red-head could bubble up in his mind, he caught sight of a familiar looking young man standing near the room. It was hard to tell because of the hat, but Kallus could have sworn it was his acquaintance, Lieutenant Yogar Lyste.

               "Lieutenant Lyste?" Kallus said.

               The young man looked up, and Kallus saw it was him. The same baby-faced lieutenant he had met almost a year ago. He wouldn’t really call it a “friendship,” but more of a pleasant work-place acquaintanceship.

               "Agent Kallus?" Lyste walked towards him. "I didn't know you were transferred here. It's wonderful to see you again." The two men shook hands.

               "Likewise, Lieutenant," Kallus said. "I'm the Chimaera's designated ISB agent for now. Are you still working in supplies?"

               "I am," he answered. "Where are you off too?"

               Kallus conjured up a quick lie. “I’m headed to the hangar bay," he said. “To inquire about Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return from Ryloth. Care to join me?"

               “Certainly. I would like to know as well.” The two men began their journey towards the hangar bay. Kallus wondered why Lyste had been standing next to Commander Rizzo's room. Perhaps they knew each other?

               "Are you off duty right now, Lieutenant?" Kallus asked.

               "Not exactly," Lyste said. Kallus watched as the young man subtly glanced behind him in the direction of the commander’s room.

               Kallus raised a brow. "Were you waiting for someone?"

               Lyste turned back to him. "Oh," he said, a bit nervous. "Well, I have a friend who lives on that hall. I wanted to ask her if she would like to have dinner, but I think she may still be gone on her mission with the Grand Admiral.”

               "Ah, you must be speaking of his aide, Commander Rizzo," Kallus said.

               He watched Lyste's face grow slightly pink. "Yes, that's her," he said.

               "You and the Commander are friends?" Kallus asked.

               "We are," Lyste answered. "We met during her first day here. I gave her a tour of the bridge area." Kallus kept strategically silent, hoping Lyste would elaborate. "We've worked together a few times, and we went to the Empire Day Ball together."

               Ah, so he fancied her, Kallus thought to himself. Though, he didn’t think Commander Rizzo would have much time for Lyste’s romantic pursuits with all the time she spent working with the Grand Admiral. Working…and perhaps more, he thought.

               Over the past few weeks he had grown increasingly suspicious of how much time the Grand Admiral and his aide spent together. Watching her from afar, he would sometimes see her leave his office as late as 2300 hours; and a few times, he would not see her leave at all before he was forced to retire to his own room for sleep. At first, he had only started watching and following her due to the irrational fear she felt for him. But now, he had at least an inkling of an idea as to why she might fear him—perhaps she and the Grand Admiral were engaging in an inappropriate relationship. And seeing that it was Kallus’s job to find and report any incidents of traitorous behavior or unorderly conduct, it was only natural that she would fear him.

               Though, that was a very farfetched conclusion to jump to. Maybe the Grand Admiral just liked to work late, and likewise made his aide stay up with him to complete any tasks.

               But if not…the two could find themselves the subjects of a career-ruining scandal, complete with court-martials and reviling gossip. And someone with Thrawn's rank and…appearance…having a relationship with a human subordinate would definitely be a talk for the ages.

               And if Kallus could find out if that were the case, it would be the perfect opportunity for him to threaten Thrawn if need be. For Kallus was a traitor to the Empire, and could use all the leverage he could get.

               Kallus looked back at Lyste. Perhaps he could learn a thing or two about Commander Rizzo through him. "So I take it that you have an interest in her?”

               Lyste turned crimson red. “I…yes. I do.”

               “Well,” Kallus said. “Have you tried asking her for caf or being more straightforward with her?"

               "Not really," Lyste said. "I really don’t get the chance to see her too much. She always seems to be with the Grand Admiral, even during the evenings.”

               Poor chap, Kallus thought.

                But before he could press in any more questions, the two men turned the corner and stopped. Opposite of them, a medical droid clomped its way down the hall with a wheelchair in tow; and seated upon it, Commander Rizzo.

                “Elena!” Lyste walked briskly over to her, and the medical droid stopped. He took one of her hands into his, resting his other on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”

                Kallus walked over to the scene before him, watching closely. Her hair looked ravaged, and she was sporting a small bruise on the left side of her forehead. But her eyes caught his attention. They looked glazed over and oddly playful, like she was thinking of something funny and was trying not to laugh.

                “Yogar!” she said with a small smile. “It’s so good to see you.” She pat one of his hands. Lyste began blushing furiously. “You will not believe what happened today!” The sheer silliness of her words was enough to crack a smile on Kallus’s face.

                “Commander Rizzo has suffered a minor concussion and is currently on pain medication,” the medical droid explained. “It’s imperative that I take her to medical immediately, but you are welcome to follow.”

                The droid began pushing her off to medical, and both Kallus and Lyste followed. Kallus had to admit he was highly curious as to what had happened to her. No doubt the medication would make her eager to talk.

                Once they made it to medical, the droid helped her onto one of the beds and scurried off to prepare an IV.

                “What happened, Commander?” Kallus asked her. She looked up at him for the first time since he and Lyste bumped into her. He could see the faint trace of uneasiness in her eyes, but she nevertheless remained talkative and dazedly happy. Lyste stood close to her, genuine concern on his face.

                “It’s a long story,” she said as the medic droid returned with the IV and needle. “But Phoenix Squadron showed up, and blew up the house and—Ow! You asshole!” Kallus stifled a laugh as Commander Rizzo glared at the droid for attaching her IV. He stumbled over an apology before quickly rolling away. “Anyway…most of us were standing at the front of the house...” she continued on, oblivious of her less-than-professional behavior. “Some imperials died. I was lucky…”

                “I’m just glad you’re alright,” Lyste said, also attempting to stifle a laugh.

                 Just then, his commlink pinged. “Lieutenant, where are you? You’re being expected in Supply Deck 4.”

                “I’m on my way,” he hastily replied. “I hope you feel better, Elena,” he said. “Let’s get caf sometime. It’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

                Her eyes lit up. “I’d love that!”

                Blushing, he gave a quick nod before exiting the room, leaving Kallus alone with Commander Rizzo.

                An awkward two second silence smothered the room before Kallus heaved a sigh. “Well, I suppose I should get going too,” he said. “I hope you recover soon, Commander.”

                “Wait!” She said. Caught off guard, Kallus turned. She looked like she would rather jump out an airlock than talk to him, but he could tell something was causing her distress. “I-I have a question.”

                Intrigued, Kallus walked back to her and stood at the foot of the bed. “Of course,” he said politely. “What is it, Commander?”

                “Thrawn told me that you’ve had firsthand experience with Phoenix Squadron before,” she said. “D-Do you happen to know what a Jedi is?”

                He couldn’t tell what puzzled him more: the fact that she had just asked him what a Jedi was or the fact that she had referred to Thrawn by his name rather than rank. Though he was beginning to think that last one wasn’t too puzzling. “Uh, yes. I know what a Jedi is.”

                “I think I saw one while on Ryloth—Ezra Bridger.”

                “Yes, he is one,” Kallus said. “Though there are very few left.” He stepped over to the chair Lyste had been sitting in, pushing it back at a respectful distance away from her. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this, but something in her expression looked so troubled, pleading almost. “They were very prominent during the days of the Republic. They had the power to use the Force, and served as peace keepers up until they were executed for treason against the Emperor.” She was not the first imperial he had met who knew nothing about the Jedi. Most academies went out of their way to censor them from curriculum, unless of course someone chose to study on the galactic history track. The only reason he knew of them was because he had been a young adult during the Clone Wars. These new imperials like her and Lyste had only been mere children with very few memories of the war. So young and malleable, just like the Empire liked their subjects to be.

                “This…Force,” she said. “What exactly…is it?” Her face was turning red, like she was embarrassed by her questions.

                “Think of it like an energy field that connects all living things in the galaxy,” he said. “Those who can use the Force can use power that no ordinary person could ever do.” He watched as her face went pale, and her eyes focused on her bed sheets. She looked so troubled, and part of him didn’t think it was the medication making her this way.

                “That is…interesting,” she managed. “Can…Force-users also sense the presence of another being?”

                “They can,” he answered. This conversation was becoming stranger by the second, and he couldn’t wait for it to end. “It’s nothing to fear, Commander. Are you certain you’re alright?”

                “I am,” she said, her face growing red again. “I’m sorry, Agent, this medication…it’s…I’m not thinking straight. I’m sorry.”

                “There’s no need to apologize,” he said kindly as he stood up. “I’m glad I could answer your questions.” He got up and took a few steps back. “I must be going, unfortunately. I do hope you recover soon, Commander. Good night.”

                “Good night, Agent,” she said as he turned to leave.

                Once out the door, he let his thoughts wander. With every encounter, this girl became more and more mysterious to him.

                He left knowing that she would probably be asleep in minutes and not remember anything that he had told her.

                That, however, would not be the case.

                After he left, Elena curled up into a ball and stared at the cabinets, too mortified to move. And for the next two hours before she finally dozed off to sleep, she kept her gaze fixed on those cabinets, replaying every single excruciating second of that conversation in her head.

                Over, and over, and over.

~ ▪ ~

                “The engineering team had just finished up all the last minute details before your arrival, and we wanted to show you as soon as possible,” Commander Faro told Thrawn as they entered their meeting room.

                “Excellent,” Thrawn said. “Show me your progress, Commander.”

                The two of them sat at a round table along with three other officers Thrawn had trusted with the project. Commander Faro activated the table’s holoport, and a diagram of his new secret weapon lit up in the middle of the table.

                “The TIE Defender,” she said. “Complete with hyperdrives and deflector shields.”

                Thrawn studied over the image. Unlike traditional TIE Fighters, this one sported three solar array wings, which held the shields, and hyperdrives, which TIE’s had never had before. The final design looked flawless and efficient. To say Thrawn was impressed with his engineers’ work would have been an understatement.

                “I am most pleased with yours and the team’s ingenuity and swiftness in designing the craft,” Thrawn said. “Once mass produced, these ships will be most effective in wiping out this rebellion.”

                “Do you know of a factory or ship yard that could manufacture these ships in bulk?” one of his captains asked.

                He turned his red eyes to the man. “I do. In fact, I will be contacting Governor Pryce tomorrow morning about utilizing Lothal’s imperial facilities.” He knew without a doubt that she would accept, and that preliminary productions would begin as quickly as possible.

                Once the meeting ended, he retired to his personal quarters, feeling an uncharacteristic exhaustion from the day’s events. As he settled into his bed, he silently wished that Elena could be with him right now. It had been far too long since they had last slept together, and he missed the feel of her back against his chest.

                He couldn't help but grin to himself. These humans were changing him, and he wondered just how far he had strayed from the young Chiss he once was when the Empire had found him--when Eli had found him.

                Eli. He knew his former aide was safe, but he did miss him from time to time. It was Eli who had taught Thrawn the customs and language of the Empire, and who had been—and still was—his most trusted and closest friend.

                And now he had Elena, who had taught him something far more beautiful than any painting he had in his collection. She had shown him something that stretched far beyond the primal desires he had only felt towards his former lovers. On Csilla, it was exceedingly rare to feel such a strong emotion and attachment towards another, at least within the confines of the ruling families. Mates were always chosen and arranged by the families, and never for love. They were more akin to business arrangements, but with the expectation of producing healthy offspring. Lovers were only ever good for one thing, and always had to be kept a secret.

                No, what Elena had taught him extended far beyond the confines of stoic propriety and perfection. She had taught him what love felt like, and he had no intentions of ever letting her go.


	14. The Thief's Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena is released from medical, and Thrawn discusses his new weapon with Governor Pryce. Meanwhile, Kanan Jarrus seeks out the Bendu for more questions, and Elena discusses her past with Thrawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: there is a scene in this chapter that deals with sexual assault/attempted rape. I tried to keep it as less detailed as possible, but if that stuff bothers you, I would advise skipping over that part (it's not very long though, just a paragraph; it's a part of Elena's story towards the end of the chapter).

                “You are ready to return to your active duties, but I still recommend that you take today off as well.” Elena winced as the medic droid removed her IV. She glanced at the chrono: 0834 hours. She was more than ready to get out of this white-walled, antiseptic-smelling prison.

                “Avoid any strenuous physical activity for the next five days, just in case your head needs further healing,” the droid continued. And instead, she could use that time to hide in her room or in Thrawn’s office, where she wouldn’t be in danger of bumping into Agent Kallus again. She cringed at the memory of that drug-induced conversation they shared, but was nevertheless grateful that she had at least learned something valuable from it.

                She slowly rose out of the bed, stretched, and slipped her uniform boots back on. “Thank you, doctor,” she told the droid. “Oh, and…” she turned red as the droid turned to face her. “I’m sorry for…calling you an asshole yesterday.”

                “It’s quite alright, Commander,” he answered. “It was merely a side effect of your medication. I assure you, I have been called worse before.”

                She stumbled over an “Oh” before apologizing and thanking him again.

                Once back in her room, she clicked the door shut quickly behind her. Her heart began picking up pace as she remembered her and Thrawn’s scheduled conversation. _Blast it all_ , she thought. She would have to wait until the evening when they usually had dinner. No doubt he would have a fully packed schedule for today after being absent for so long.

                She curled up in her bed as she pondered over what to do until then. Today wasn’t Janali’s off day, so comming her was out of the question. And with her injuries, so was working out. With an irritating sigh, she rested on her back and glanced up at the paintings towering above her bed. At first she thought it would be a colossal waste of time, but after a few minutes the idea steadily grew on her. It had been years, and she knew her skills had rusted since then; but maybe this would be exactly what she needed. After all, it had calmed her down in the past, so maybe it would now. Lifting herself up, she decided to do something that she had not done in years. She was going to paint.

~ ▪ ~

                A wicked grin spread across Governor Arihnda Pryce’s face. “I must say, Grand Admiral, I am impressed.”

                Her image projecting out in front of his desk, as though she were standing in the room. Between them glowed the hologram of his TIE Defender, which floated right above the desk’s holoport. “That is wonderful to hear, Governor,” he said. “Which leads me to my purpose for comming you.”

                She turned her icy blue eyes to him, silently signaling for him to continue. Even through the hologram’s static, Thrawn could read her eagerness.

                “I hope to utilize one of your imperial manufacturing facilities for mass production of these TIE Defenders.”

                Her eyebrows rose slightly, approval shining like a beacon from her features. “Consider it done, Grand Admiral. Might I suggest the Imperial Armory Complex? It is our best weaponry facility here on Lothal, and soon to be in the entire Outer Rim.”

                “Excellent, Governor,” he said. “How quickly can production begin?”

                “When would you _want_ it to begin?” she asked with a haughty smile. Thrawn knew that expression all too well—pride.

                He smirked, “Would the end of this week be too soon?”

                “Not at all,” Pryce answered. “I will schedule a meeting with the IAC’s chief staff for tomorrow.”

                “And I will send you the rudimentary plans for this fighter. And I must ask that you keep this information as secret as possible. I think we can both agree that these plans do not need to fall into the rebels’ hands.”

                “As do I,” she said. “I will have a report for you by tomorrow evening.”

                “Thank you, Governor,” he said before ending the transmission.

~ ▪ ~

                Lightyears away from Thrawn and his Seventh Fleet, sunlight crept in through the window of Hera’s room as morning began spreading across Atollon. Kanan stirred softly, being careful not to wake Hera.

               Once dressed for the day, he felt his way out of the _Ghost_ and onto the base. After locating one of their speeder bikes, he powered it on, and used the Force to guide him through the wilderness.

               A few minutes passed before he could sense that he had found the right place. Pulling up next to a plated tree, he parked his speeder and walked slowly across the dusty ledges. The thought had been nagging him all day yesterday, but with all the activity on base, he had not been able to find a chance to visit Bendu again and press him for more details, until now.

               "Bendu!" he called, stepping down the last ledge and onto flat ground. "Bendu, are you awake?"

               He heard the stirring of rocks and dirt as Bendu rose up. "Ah, so you've returned Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight," the great being said. "Tell me, how is your new sight?"

               "It's great," Kanan said. "And thank you again for your help. But I've come to ask a few questions."

               "Interesting," Bendu said, his booming voice reverberating all around. "And you believe I hold the answers to your questions."

               "I do," he said. "Weeks ago, you told me that if I dwell on who I lost in the past, I won't be there to find them in the future. What exactly did you mean by that?"

               Bendu gave a small laugh. "As I said before, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight, that is something you will need to discover on your own, when the time is right."

               "I know," Kanan said, "I'm not exactly sure _what_ it is you want me to find. Everyone I lost in the past has died."

               The beast raised an eyebrow. "Died? All of them? Are you certain?"

               The question hung in the air for a few seconds before Kanan answered. "I watched my Master die before my eyes, killed by the very same clone troopers we called friends. I lost many friends that day."

               "Perhaps I am not speaking of your Master, nor of the ones you lost that day," Bendu said.

               Kanan's heart sped up. "Then who?"

               "I believe you already know who. And your reluctance to speak tells me as much."

               He pursed his lips together, focusing his unseeing eyes on the ground. "And what does it tell you?"

               "That you feel immense guilt for what happened."

               "Guilt doesn't even begin to cover it," Kanan said. "I will always feel responsible for her death."

               "My boy, when I say 'lost,' I do not mean death."

               He looked up. "What are you saying? That she's still alive?"

               "Perhaps. She was when you parted ways, was she not?" Bendu asked.

               He froze, haunted by Bendu's impossible knowledge. "She was." He drew his brows together. "How do you know all of this?"

               Bendu chuckled. "I am the one in the middle, and very old. The Force grants me insight greater than that of any Jedi or Sith."

               "Another thing," Kanan said. "You said I would find them when 'the time is right.' What time will that be?"

               "You will know,” he said in that infuriatingly reassuring tone.

               Kanan shook his head. "I wonder, is all this obscurity for my own good or for your own entertainment?"

               The beast gave a great laugh. "Another question for you to ponder over, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight."

               "Well, you've given me quite a lot to ponder over already," Kanan said.

               "Good," Bendu said. "But before you leave, perhaps you could indulge my own curiosity." Kanan looked up. "Tell me about this girl."

~ ▪ ~

               Elena exhaled. The sky was finally complete. Saturated with tones of rich purples and reds, it dominating the upper half of the painting. Below were the deserts and mesas of Ryloth, which she had begun layering with soft hues of yellow and orange. She had decided on using watercolor just because of the sky alone. Oil just wouldn’t have given it the same justice. She glanced at the chrono on her desk: 0602 hours. Between painting, sleeping, and pondering over the meaning of the Force, she hadn’t done that much today.

               She glanced down at the two figures she had penciled in at the bottom left. They sat on top of a mesa in the foreground, gazing out onto the landscape. Absentmindedly, she had doodled lekku on the man, and sitting next to him was a petite girl with russet hair. She hadn’t really planned on drawing her and Tal into the painting; it had just happened naturally, making it the perfect depiction of something once hoped for, but was now impossible.

               But it didn’t make her sad. Instead, she felt grateful knowing that she now had two works of art to preserve his memory—her painting and his kalikori. She picked up the totem from its spot on her desk and studied its design, determined to come up with some way to add to the artwork’s nonsensical patterns.

               A ping from her datapad yanked her attention away. Setting the kalikori back in its spot on the desk, she read the datapad’s message:

**| Grand Admiral Thrawn requests your presence in his office.**

 

               With a long sigh, she left for his quarters.

~ ▪ ~

               Elena attempted to relax in the comfort of Thrawn’s luxurious sofa as she stared blankly ahead, the gentle sound of poured wine filling her ears.

               “You are certain that you can have alcohol?” Thrawn asked.

               “Yes,” she answered. “The droid said to only avoid strenuous activities for a few days.”  He sat next to her, handing her a glass of that Alderaanian wine she loved so much.

               She gripped the stem, forcing herself to face him. “I’m sorry, Thrawn,” she began. “I shouldn’t have—“

               “My dear,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You do not need to apologize. And please know that whatever you are about to tell me will in no way change my opinion of you.”

               She lifted her brows. “How did you know?”

               “That is often the main reason as to why people do not disclose certain facts about themselves. That and knowing highly confidential information.”

               “Is that the case with you?” she asked.

               He paused. “For the most part, yes.”

               “Then I’m afraid to say that my tale will probably not be as interesting as yours.”

               “Anything pertaining to you is interesting to me,” Thrawn said, coaxing a little heat to her face.

               She took a small sip of wine before placing it on the side table. Hands clasped tightly in her lap, she began her tale.

~ ▪ ~

               Eighteen was—in Elena’s opinion—a terrible age for someone to just be thrown out into the world and left to fend for themselves. Though, she supposed, that ultimately depended on the maturity level of the individual. And in that case, Elena at eighteen had no business being on her own.

               Unfortunately, she was not given a choice.

               She remembered it clearly: standing outside the orphanage watching the other children wave goodbye and yell out about how much they had missed her already. Tears had rolled down her cheeks as she boarded a transport, her only possessions being a bag, some toiletries, her paintings, her stuffed Loth-cat doll, and enough credits to feed her for a week. Not bad for a nearly bankrupt children’s home.

               “Head straight for the Federal District,” Miss Elia had flatly told her. “There are several job placement companies there who will put you straight to work. You’ll find your way in this world.” Her mechanical tone of voice had made Elena wonder how many times she had fed that same line to the other unwanted children.

               Such empty parting words to an equally empty girl.

               She had boarded the transport, watching out the window until the orphanage that she had called home for three years shrank into a mere speck. More tears had rolled down her face, seeping down into her shirt. But the tears didn’t originate from sadness; they came from anger. Elena didn’t want to work, and she sure as hell didn’t want to be alone. Not when she truly had no idea who she really was.

               It wasn’t fair. She had always been so different from everyone else all because of her lost memories. For all she knew, she _had_ a family out there, yet she had been stuck in an orphanage, with not even a ghost of remembrance to help her piece her past together.

               So, no. She didn’t want to work some dead-end job. She wanted to find her memories. She wanted to find her family. Because they had to be out there somewhere.

               She had pulled up her sleeve and touched her name bracelet, the only clue she had. Whoever made this for her must have loved her very much, and she was determined to find them.

               But as the weeks passed by, she found that she was doing nothing to help her memory. She had burned through her money in a mere six days and spent most of her time searching for abandoned buildings to take shelter in. And on the nights she couldn’t find a place to sleep, she would cozy up next to a restaurant or bar, the outside machinery and pipes keeping her somewhat warm. She looked wretched. Still wearing the same clothes she left the orphanage in, she hid her face to avoid the dirty looks given to her by working citizens and spent most of her time stealing people’s food when they weren’t looking. Most of the time she got caught and would scurry away like some frightened rodent. It wasn’t until she found herself in Sector G-17 that things started to improve.

               Though one would not normally use the word “improve” if they found themselves in a place like G-17.

               After sneaking off the transporter that she had not paid for, she wandered into the worn-out slum district. Almost no sunlight shone down there, and the entire block reeked of smoke and alcohol. Garbage and spice-heads littered the streets, and raunchy club music played at all hours of the day from the cantinas. The buildings were no better, most of them boarded up with spray-painted warnings of “Keep Out!” or lesser than polite phrases.

               But what G-17 lacked in proper living conditions it made up for in easy targets.

               It had only taken Elena a week to master the art of pickpocketing the spice-heads, who—even if they _were_ paying attention—she could easily swipe food and a couple of credits from. Eventually she found an unused building free of rabid animals and falling plywood that she could call home. In the evenings she would watch out its second story window at the people below. Nearly all of them were non-human, and quite a large amount of them were decent pickpockets. As she watched and learned, she picked up on subtle tricks from each occasional thief she would catch in the act.

               Soon she found herself mastering her own slide of hand. Then she moved up to cutting purses. And then up to pickpocketing the more sober citizens. Once she had a decent credit collection building up, she decided she would use the money to get off Coruscant. Where she would go though, she had no idea.

               But as her skills and credit pile continued to grow, so did her arrogance. Now she was pickpocketing those who she _knew_ were dangerous criminals, and usually just for the thrill of it. And if they were drug dealers, she would relieve them of their spice too. It seemed to have been working out just fine, until one late night when she strayed a little too far from home.

               She danced in the shadows of the nearly empty street on silent footsteps, watching her prey from a narrow alleyway. Three rough looking Weequay men stood beneath a blinking streetlamp, its incessant humming drowning out the details of what was probably an unintelligent conversation. She could tell by the new look of their jackets that they would be a big score. If the bastards would only just _move_ out of the light, their money was as good as hers. And once they did, she went in for the kill.

               Or so she thought.

               “Hey! What the hell!” One of the men had grabbed her arm so tightly she thought it would snap in half. She yelped as he tossed her into the streetlamp’s light.

               “Ohhh!” One of them exclaimed. “Looks like we’ve found ourselves a girl.” Elena cringed as she remembered that hideous fissure of a grin that spread across his face. He had yanked her by the arm, dragging her into the same alleyway she had been watching them from.

               “You wanna know what the punishment is for stealing from us, scum bag?” They had her shoved up against the alleyway wall, their awful tobacco-filled breath strangling her nose. One of them started reaching for her pants, and she used what little might she had to fight back. “Hold her arms!” She managed to get out a scream until one of them pushed a hand against her mouth. A frenzy of tears spilled down her face, mind unwilling to comprehend what was happening. She would die right here in this dirty forgotten alleyway, she just knew it.

               But only seconds after they clasped her mouth shut, a blur emerged from the shadows, knocking one of the thugs out cold. The other two didn’t even have time to turn around before they too were knocked unconscious.

               Elena cowered to the ground, curling up in a ball and watching the mysterious assailant through her fingers. He had knocked all of them out, and now he was…planting spice on them? He took out three small bags, stuffing them into their pockets, but leaving out just enough to show.

               Then he activated a communication device. “Spice dealers on Grover Street.” He shoved the device swiftly into his pocket and rushed over to the still-terrified Elena. “Come on!” he said softly. His accent had sounded so peculiar, almost romantic and song-like. Then she noticed the lekku jutting from the back of his head. _A Twi’lek_ , she had thought. Too mesmerized by his voice and appearance, she didn’t have the time to judge whether she could trust him or not. Instead, she allowed him to take her hand and guide her through the alleyway and back to a building he called home.

               Tal Rizzo had saved her that night. The orange-skinned Twi’lek took her in, gave her a hot meal, and they both swapped stories until the sun rose. She remembered fondly about how she couldn’t take her eyes off his face. She had always known how much Twi’lek women were praised for their unmatched beauty. The men, however, were not much to look at; and that seemed to be a shared opinion among several different species in the galaxy. But not Tal. His lavender eyes and devilish grin could turn the heads of anyone who glanced his way, and his charming charisma only made him more alluring. Elena had fallen for him instantly, and had been overjoyed when he allowed her to join his gang of thieves. And though the romance had remained one-sided, they had become the closest of friends. So close, that Tal had offered her his last name in place of the one that she had lost.

               And so the years had passed by, and she turned nineteen, then twenty, and then twenty-one. She and the rest of Tal’s gang had stayed busy with jobs and missions, which included everything from stealing from the Senate building to solving murder cases.  

               For the first time since she crashed her ship on Coruscant at fifteen, she had felt contentment. She had accepted that being a professional thief could very well be the rest of her life, or at least until a better opportunity came along. But at that moment, she had found family in Tal and in the rest of the gang. She had food, a room of her own, and a steady influx of credits to do with as she pleased.

               But then Tal died. Killed by nameless thugs she would have never been able to track down, even if she had had the energy and patience to do so. For months she felt hollow, not speaking to anyone if she didn’t have to. Some days she didn’t even get out of bed, almost like an invisible hand had been pushing down on her, squeezing out all of her fading motivation and hope. Only one thing kept her focused. It had been a promise she had made Tal months before he was murdered—apply to Royal Imperial Academy there on Coruscant. Find a better life for herself other than thieving.

               She had only done it because he had asked her to, and also because she had nowhere else to go.

               Never did she imagine how well it had worked out for her.


	15. Hidden Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrawn reveals his true intentions to Elena.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're going to hear Thrawn's side. Warning: MAJOR Spoilers from the Thrawn book! 
> 
> There's a tiny bit of fluff near the end, since I'm torturing you guys with an info dump in this chapter. Also, next chapter will have NSFW content.

                    He was stunned to say the least. Never would he have pegged such a sophisticated young woman to be a former thief and criminal. Though, he had always known never to dismiss the unbelievable.

                    He held one of her hands, gently stroking it with his thumb to help calm her. At some point during her story, he had took hold of it, wanting so badly to comfort her in some way as distress started to overtake her demeanor.

                    He watched as a few tears rolled slowly down her face, landing on her uniform pants.

                    Crying. It was something Chiss just did not do. It was a sign of weakness. Of defeat. The only ones in his society who were permitted the act of crying without suffering embarrassment or dishonor were babies and young children. Humans and most other sentient species—as he had discovered—were far more expressive with their emotions. Watching Eli, his adversaries, and other imperials had told him just as much.

                    He had never seen her cry before, and he was not fond of it. But at the same time, something about it fascinated him. Watching the tears roll slowly down her face stirred something inside him—a sort of instinctual sympathy telling him to lower his guard and comfort her. As a Chiss, he had always been taught to spurn those who would dare show such a horrendous display of weakness and impropriety. But in this moment, he found that all he wanted was to help her feel happy again.

                    He handed her a napkin from one of the end tables, and tenderly combed a finger through her hair as she dabbed the tears away. The skin around her eyes had turned pink, and her dark lashes shown starkly against her pale complexion. But it was her eyes that he found striking. The pink around her eyes brought out the brilliant hue of her irises. Crystals of bright blue looked back up at him, years of sadness, grief, and tragedy laid bare in the shade of a midday sky.

                    How could such a hideously visceral action be so…beautiful?

                    “I’m sorry,” she whispered, unwillingly to let him hear her cracking voice.

                    He would never truly feel comfortable with these types of situations. Dealing with onslaughts of emotion was never a part of his expertise. He tried though. “Elena,” he softened his eyes. “There is nothing to apologize for.” She blinked a few times, and her breathing became steadier. “I am deeply sorry for the pain and sorrow you have experienced. And I do not feel in any way ashamed of you or of your origins.”

                    She closed her eyes briefly, relieved by his answer. “Even though I was a criminal?”

                    He brushed a curl behind her ear. “You had options before you. You chose the one best suited to your needs and wants at the time.” He lifted her wineglass from the table, placing it in her hands. “And, my dear, I do believe that had you not followed the path that you did, you may not have joined the Imperial Academy, and likewise, we may have never met.” The muscles in her forehead lifted slightly, realization dawning on her face. “And I must say, my dear, I am very grateful to have met you.”

                    She smiled softly. Though her eyes still appeared puffy, her tears had dissipated. Thrawn found himself rather grateful for that too.

                    “That kalikori,” he said. “It belonged to him, didn’t it?”

                    She gazed down and grinned, unsurprised by his intuition. “It did,” she said softly. “One of Slavin’s hostages happened to be Tal’s grandfather. That’s why I spent so much time  with them.”

                    She looked so calm, almost at peace. The kalikori must have given her some sort of closure with her friend’s death.

                    “It’s a beautiful piece,” Thrawn said after a second of silence. “I’m glad that you have it.”

                    Before she could reply, Thrawn changed the subject. “Now, my dear, I do believe you have questions for me as well?” He picked up his own wineglass, taking a small sip.

                    Her smile faded into a more neutral expression. “I do.”

                    “I’m afraid that I don’t have quite as compelling of a narrative as yours. It would be best if you would just ask me questions, and I will try and answer them to the best of my ability.”

                    She set her own glass down, and sighed. “I’m not really sure where to begin…” she knitted her fingers together. “Honestly Thrawn, I can’t say that there _is_ much I know about you outside your naval career and your interests.”

                    “I do believe I’ve told you a few things,” he said. “Like the name of my home planet, and the fact that I was exiled.”

                    A tinge of heat shone on her cheeks, and she averted her gaze when he mentioned his exile. “Csilla, is it?” He nodded. “But…” she hesitated. “I just don’t know that much about you personally, I suppose.” That much he knew was true. He had always been so succinct with his answers to her that eventually she had stopped asking him so many questions. Even questions he would have deemed harmless. “I admit, I don’t even know your age.”

                    “I suppose that has been weighing on your mind for some time,” he lifted a brow at his attempt at a light joke.

                    A soft laugh escaped her lips. “Honestly, it just never occurred to me to ask.”

                    “Then you’ll be relieved to know that I’m only thirty-four,” he said. “And that Chiss have similar lifespans to humans.”

                    “In what ways are Chiss similar to humans? If…you don’t mind me asking…”

                    “We’re similar in many ways. In fact, it’s believed by my people that humans and Chiss may in fact be related. We are virtually the same aside from our skin and eyes. Our eyes also grant us the ability to see partly in infrared, which does not seem to be an ability demonstrated in humans.”

                    “You can see…heat?”

                    “Yes,” he answered. “And it proves to be quite helpful in discerning whether someone is lying or not.”

                    Her brows shot up in surprise, but she stayed focus on her questions.

                    “Do you have a family?” she asked.

                    “Yes,” he answered. “The Mitth family.”

                    “So you are Thrawn Mitth?”

                    Amused by her question, he couldn’t help his lip from quirking up into a smile. “Ah, you confuse Mitth with being my last name, which appears to be a common naming convention here in the Known Galaxy.”

                    She blushed, embarrassed by her mistake. Though, he found her intrigue and lack of knowledge of his culture to be quite charming. “My full name is Mitth’raw’nuruodo. With ‘Mitth’ being my family name and ‘nuruodo’ being a sort of denotation of my profession.” He watched her brows rise slightly, both perplexed and fascinated by the complexity of his full name. “Together, along with the middle part of my name, they create my core name, Thrawn.”

                    She kept her beautiful blue eyes glued to him, their puffiness from before long since disappeared. He wondered if tonight would be safe enough for her to stay over. “I suppose you use your core names when dealing with outsiders then?” She grinned, raising a brow.

                    He grinned back. “We have found that it’s less…overwhelming for outsiders.”

                    “Which leads me to my next question.” She averted her eyes. “Why are your people so secretive?”

                    “It is not that we are overly secretive, we just prefer not to have too many interactions with outsiders if given the option.”

                    She nodded. “I understand that the Empire had found you when you were exiled, but…” she shook her head lightly. “Why join them? You saw how Slavin treated those Twi’leks. And it’s no secret that those in charge of the military and government prefer a more…human presence and influence. Though…I’m certain you already know that.”

                    “It’s true they found me. I must say I was not given much of a choice, but it proved to be—and still is—the most viable opportunity for myself and my people.”

                    “You still serve them then,” she state. Her tone indicated no question. “Your people.”

                    “I do,” he answered.

                    “Even though they exiled you?”

                    He stayed quiet for a few minutes before answering, knowing full well that there would be no turning back once he told her the truth. “It is not an exile in the…traditional sense.”

                    Her brows pinched together in question.

                    “My exile was a fabrication, my dear.”

                    Her expression did not change, but her eyes held more questions than before. “…What…what do you mean?”

                    “The Chiss Ascendency and I wished to make contact with the Empire without having to give away the location of our world. The Ascendency decided on sending me on this mission, and proceeded to fake my exile on a planet in Wild Space. After a few months, I had success in luring a few imperials to the planet. And as we predicted, they captured me and took me into the heart of the Empire.”

                    The sheer amount of information he had packed into just a few sentences had overwhelmed her. “Why did your people choose you?”

                    “Because I have had prior interactions with the Empire before, when it was still the Galactic Republic. Being the most knowledgeable of this realm of space, the Ascendency believed I would be the best fit for the mission.”

                    “What sort of interaction did you have with the Republic?” she asked.

                    “At the time, I was a member of the Chiss Defense Forces, and was tasked with gathering information on the stability and strength of the Republic. During my investigation I had encountered and fought alongside a Jedi by the name of Anakin Skywalker, who I had learned served as a close ally to the Emperor. That connection also swayed the Ascendency to choose me for the mission.”

                    “And what were the results of your investigation of the Republic?”

                    Thrawn took a small sip of wine. “That it was too unstable and weakened by the Clone Wars to be of any sort of help to the Chiss. Though Skywalker proved to be an effective and skilled warrior, I had left to return to the Ascendency with my findings. Although…once we were informed of the Republic’s demise and the Empire’s beginning, our intrigue had renewed.”

                    “Why would your people need the help of the Republic or the Empire?”

                    He took a breath, and exhaled softly. “We wish to acquire assistance in dealing with a threat hidden deep within the Unknown Regions.”

                    A sort of fear took place of the intrigue in her eyes. “What sort of threat?”

                    “A great evil, my dear. One of which I cannot easily explain.”

                    When he didn’t elaborate, she changed the subject of her questions. “So…you are… _not_ loyal to the Empire?”

                    “I am,” he answered. “As long as the Empire maintains its strength and order, I will continue to fight for it. That is my goal at least—to make the Empire stronger, and thus an ideal ally for my people.”

                    She shook her head in a sort of understanding. “The rebellion—that’s why you are so determined to put an end to it, even though most of the other imperials don’t see it as too big of a threat. Where they see only a minor annoyance, you see a serious threat to something you’re trying to build.”

                    “Precisely, my dear,” he said.

                    She exhaled. “And if the Empire falls?”

                    “Then I will return to my people and inform them appropriately. Either way, we will be guaranteed insurance against this unknown threat.”

                    She raised a brow. “How so?”

                    “As I speculated, my objective will end in one of two ways: either I am successful in strengthening the Empire and acquiring its assistance against the threat; or, the Empire will weaken, and become a more attractive target for this unknown evil.”

                    She paused, focusing her gaze on her lap. “I take it the Emperor knows nothing of that second part?”

                    “He does not.”

                    She took a sip of wine. “I understand now…your reluctance from before.” He kept quiet. “Your true loyalties lie with your people, and the Empire is only a means to an end.”

                    He kept silent. She already knew his answer.

                    She continued on. “Why did the Emperor allow you into the Navy?”

                    “After the Empire found me, they brought me before him. They seemed to believe he would be pleased to meet someone of an unknown species. I made sure to prove myself to be a valuable asset to him by offering him my knowledge of the Unknown Regions, including information about this unknown threat. Seeing my worth, he offered me a position within the Navy, including the position I now hold after proving my capabilities to him.”

                    “Does he know the location of your home planet?”

                    “No,” he answered. “I’ve opted to keep it secret from him.”

                    “You don’t trust him.”

                    “I do not.”

                    “Why?”

                    He focused his gaze ahead. “You are now aware of how ruthless and brutal the Empire can be. Think of that as an outward projection of the man who rules it. He cares only of power and instilling fear in his subjects.”

                    “That is what gives the Empire its strength though,” she said. “The strength you are claiming to need.”

                    “You are correct. However…” he turned his eyes back to her. “Though the Emperor’s cruelty gives the Empire its strength, I have a premonition that it could also cause its downfall.”

                    “How so?”

                    His eyes hardened. “Over the course of my military career, my former aide and I discovered that the Empire had been—and still is—funneling exorbitant amounts of credits and resources into a single military project. Though formidable in nature, I don’t believe—from a military standpoint—this project will be as strategic and effective as increasingly our number of fighters and capital ships, which would be far more useful in facing this unknown threat.”

                    She sat her glass down. “What’s the project?”

                    His eyes grew cold, as if he were facing an enemy. “The Death Star.”

                    “The…Death Star?” She looked as though a shiver had run through her. “Do you…know what it’s for?”

                    “The Emperor did not elaborate too much when I asked. He only reassured me that he had no interest on using it against my people. I, however, have been conducting my own investigation into the project, which I believe is nearing completion.” He watched her eyes change from curiosity to mild worry and fear. “Though I am not certain, I believe it will have the capabilities of destroying entire planets.”

                    She looked thunderstruck. “Entire…planets?”

                    He glared. “He believes it will be enough to quell any form of resistance. I, however, think not. It will be nothing more than a waste of resources best used elsewhere.”

                    “And you said you and your former aide discovered this?”

                    He nodded.

                    “Who was your former aide?”

                    “Lieutenant Commander Eli Vanto. He was one of the imperials who found me in exile. He has served as my translator, and I in return have trained him in the ways of my battle tactics—much like I am doing with you.”

                    “Where is he?”

                    “Officially, he was honorably discharged and sent back to his home world. In truth, I had sent him in secret to help aide my people on Csilla. I found that his talents were best suited there rather than in the Empire.”

                    She could not hide the shock from her face. “And you recruited me…in hopes of gaining a new ally?”

                    “That was my primary motivation, yes.” His eyes softened. “I also wished to have an assistant to aide me in this fight against the rebels. However, I must admit…” he turned to her, and watched as the beginnings of a blush creeped into her cheeks. “I did not envision these feelings I have for you now.”

                    “Nor did I,” she quietly replied.

                    A second passed before he spoke again. “I can only hope that my circumstances and true intentions have not changed your opinion of me.”

                    She paused. “Of course not. I still feel the same about you, nothing could ever change that.” Pursing her lips together, she struggled to find her words. “All this time, I thought that you just didn’t trust me. Now I realize that you only wanted to be careful. These hidden plans you have…it’s…it’s enough to get you executed for treason. I…” she shook her head, and regained her composure. “…I want to help you.”

                    Even though he knew she would agree to help him or at least keep his true intensions secret, he still felt a wash of relief course through his body.

                    “The Empire _is_ cruel,” she continued. “That short stint on Ryloth told me as much.” He watched heat rise to her face, and she began fidgeting with her bracelet. “I feel like I had been lied to, back at the imperial academy. I thought I would be helping to bring peace and prosperity to the galaxy. But I…” she grimaced. “…I’m only just a cog in the wheel of tyranny the Emperor has been spinning.” Her fists clenched together. “All this time I just tried to ignore all the obvious signs and see past to a version I _wanted_ to see…but I should have known better.”

                    “What signs are you speaking of?” Thrawn asked.

                    She looked up at him. “All the prejudice against non-humans, the censorship of information back at the academy, this…this _Death_ Star!” She spat out the last two words as though they were poison.

                    “Censorship?” Thrawn raised a brow.

                    “Just yesterday I learned about Jedi,” she said. “Before studying over Ezra Bridger’s file all those weeks ago, I had never heard of the term in my life. Why is that? Apparently, these Jedi committed treason at the end of the Clone Wars, yet _I_ have never learned about that before. I even took history classes at the academy, and that bit of information had never been taught. In fact, there really didn’t seem to be that much information about that part of history at all. And I’m beginning to think that there is a reason for that…” She shook her head. “Something is terribly off about all of this…”

                   Thrawn exhaled. “I understand your anger and sense of betrayal, and my opinion of the Empire is quite similar to that of yours. However…” she locked eyes with his. “You understand what we must do.”

                   “Keep the Empire strong,” she said. “So that it can be of greater help to you.”

                   “Not only that, I also hope to have a say in who will lead it in the future.”

                   Her eyes flashed in question.

                   “The Emperor, from what I have noticed, is very old; perhaps nearing the end of his life. I have learned that when the Emperor dies, a new leader will be elected by the members of High Command.”

                   “…Which you are a member of,” she pieced together.

                   He nodded. “I hope to stay around long enough to have a say in the matter. But in the meantime, my dear, we will do what we can to strengthen the Empire. And that will be achieved by destroying this galactic rebellion and improving upon our ships and weaponry.”

                   “Have you something in mind for the second objective?” she asked.

                   He picked up his datapad that had been resting on the end table, and brought up a hologram of his TIE Defender. Her brows rose at the sight of its formidable design. “Mass-production of these should begin sometime this week or next.”

                   “A TIE fighter with _shields_? And _hyperdrives_? These alone could take care of the rebellion for us.” She stared in awe.

                   “Precisely. And tomorrow you and I will begin searching for Phoenix Squadron’s rebel base.”

                   “Will we use the same method as we did with locating Crait?” she asked.

                   “We will. I already have a list and holomap of possible worlds.”

                   He noticed her eyes starting to droop slightly, and glanced at the chrono. _2346 hours_. They hadn’t slept together in almost three weeks, and he wanted nothing more than to feel her pressed up against him.

                   “My dear, you are tired, and it is late. Perhaps you would like to stay for the night?”

                   “I would,” she said. “It’s been far too long.” They stood. “Thrawn…thank you.” He looked her in the eyes. “For…being honest with me, and for trusting me. My loyalties are with you, and you alone.”

                   His voice dropped to a low hum. “You are a valuable ally to me, my dear Elena.”

                   She smiled, resting a hand on his chest. For the past two weeks, he had missed these moments the most. The feel of her soft hair, her lips, and how perfectly their bodies seemed to fit together. Wrapped up in each other’s embrace, they kissed before making their way to his bed.

~ ▪ ~

                   0110 hours, his chrono read. Kallus glanced back up at the door to Thrawn’s office. He had watched Commander Rizzo go in, and she had yet to come back out. It was well past curfew, and this was the latest he had ever seen her stay in his office. Now he knew something peculiar was going on, he had absolutely no doubt in his mind.

                   No officers kept subordinates in their offices _this_ late at night.

                   “Agent?”

                   Kallus spun around, coming face-to-face with a stormtrooper.

                   “Trooper,” Kallus greeted. “My apologies. I was busy reading a report and needed to stop for a minute. And…” he pressed away on his datapad in search of something. “I have authorization to stay out past curfew hours.” He handed the trooper his datapad, which detailed his file and special privileges.

                   The trooper eyed it for a few seconds. “I see,” he said as he handed it back to Kallus. “Carry on, then.” The trooper took his leave and disappeared around the corner.

 _I suppose my work here is done_ , Kallus thought as his eyelids became heavy. It was 0110 in the morning. He knew she wouldn’t be coming out.

                   As he made his way back to his room, he glanced back one last time at the Grand Admiral’s door, suspicion fueling his glare.


	16. Muscle Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena and Thrawn commence their hunt for Phoenix Squadron's rebel base. Fulcrum beams out a warning to the rebels while Pryce asks for Thrawn's help. Meanwhile, Elena delves further into her connection with the Force, and Phoenix Squadron makes plans to infiltrate an imperial factory on Lothal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content at the beginning of the chapter.
> 
> Note: the exercise Elena is doing halfway through this chapter is the same one from Chapter 5 (or 4...? I don't remember, lol).

                    Thrawn had been true to his word—as soon as they woke up, they had vigorously started their project. And after three weeks of intense research and work, Elena’s mind had become a hurricane, with data and planet names gusting through it at all hours of the day.

_Moseum. Ventrux. Rishi._

                    She toiled endlessly, helping Thrawn research and add to his list of over a thousand planets and systems. Within two days they had all hyperspace routes used by the rebels recorded onto Thrawn’s holomap.

 _Sriluur. Tatooine. Ruisto_.

                    Her head spun from the enormity of it all; her burnt-out mind and depleted sanity only finding relief in Thrawn’s touch. And she could see the stress of it all weighing down on him too. Exhaustion and desire shown like anger in his blood-red eyes as he pressed her against his desk, too impatient to make the journey to his bedroom. All that mind numbing work only made them rough and restless, and their eyes burned with a raw, animalistic need only satisfied by aggression. Small bruises dotted Elena’s neck and chest. A thin trail of red blood ran down Thrawn’s back where she had raked her nails a little too hard.

_Dantooine. Mykapo. Abafar._

                    She shoved him down into his office chair, a wicked smirk playing on his face as she straddled his hips.

 _Bordal. Atollon. Fyodos_.

                    She didn’t stop until she climaxed. Fiercely gripping fistfuls of his dark blue hair as she stifled her cries.

 _Felucia. Dermos. Daxam IV_.

                    She collapsed in a fit of panting, resting her forehead on his broad, bare shoulder. Running her fingertips across his collarbone and down his arm, she could feel the definition of his muscles, taut and hard as stone. She tensed when she reached his hands, which were gripping the chair’s armrests ferociously tight. 

_Raydonia. Pamarthe. Laria._

                    Before she knew it, he had her flipped over on his desk. The cold metal stung her chest, biting into her skin. He gripped her thighs tightly, and she stifled a cry as he entered her.

 _Chuzalla. Kamasto. Lianna_.

                    A satisfied moan escaped his lips as he climaxed, burying himself deeper into her. Soon she found herself crying out in pleasure too.

_Nal Hutta. Capza. Seswenna._

                    He turned her over, lifted her to her feet, and pulled her into a gentle kiss before the two collapsed back down on the chair.

                    They stayed like that until they could catch their breaths—a tangle of white and blue wrapped up in peaceful silence. She rested against his chest, feeling the hard muscles beneath as she listened to his steady heartbeat. He buried his nose in her hair, savoring her scent as though she would disappear any second.

                    It wasn’t until she started shivering that she reluctantly got up to redress herself. She had only gotten her underwear and uniform top back on before Thrawn pulled her back down on to him and kissed her again.

                    When they broke the kiss she looked up into his eyes, taking in all his features as she ran her hand lovingly down his face.

                    “There must be an easier way to do all of this,” she said, motioning with her eyes at the holomap.

                    He started playing with her hair, and turned his subdued red eyes towards the desk. “There is not that much left to do.”

                    She glanced back at the cluster of star systems floating mockingly above her. “How in the galaxy are we going to narrow down all those planets?” Exhaustion coated her words as she made no effort to hide how she truly felt about their grueling project.

                    “Earlier today I put in a request that at least one hundred probe droids be delivered to me. They will do the narrowing down for us.”

                    “You mean those little droids that patrol outside Imperial buildings?” She looked doubtful of the idea.

                    “No, my dear.” They both lifted themselves out of the chair and collected the rest of their clothes. Thrawn dressed quickly and brought up an image of what appeared to be a harmless-looking protocol droid. “I wish to utilize these.”

                    She lifted her brows. “They’re disguised as protocol droids.”

                    “Precisely,” he said. He switched the image, changing from the droid’s protocol mode to its attack mode. “That’s what will make them so perfect for our search. I wish to send them out in small pod ships to the suspected planets disguised in protocol mode. If our rebels come across one of the probes, one of two things will happen. Either the rebels will deem its presence harmless, allowing the droid to record all the information necessary; or, they’ll attack it, which may render it incapable of returning back to us. If any droid fails to report it, we will search for it.”

                    Either way, the rebels would be discovered. Still, it left Elena with a lot of question. “What if the rebels figure out how to disable the droid and tamper with its memory?”

                    “That, thankfully, will not be an option for them,” Thrawn said. “I have requested that these droids be equipped with internal proton bombs. If the droid is captured or deactivated, it will trigger the bomb to commence countdown.”

                    Which would notify the Empire and destroy the rebel base, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

                    She sighed, knowing that all this grueling work would truly be worth it in the end.

~ ▪ ~

                    And so two more weeks passed. Production of Thrawn’s TIE defender had already been underway, and a few prototypes were ready for testing. Thrawn opted to keep the Seventh Fleet in close proximity to Lothal as well as volunteer a few of his Fleet’s Destroyers to patrol over Capital City.

                    And with all the activity, it didn’t take long for the rumor about a new imperial weapon to spread all over the _Chimaera_.

                    And if anyone was following the rumor closely, it was Kallus.

                    Ever since he had eavesdropped on Thrawn’s officers all those five weeks ago, he had carefully kept an ear out for any more information. In fact, he had decided against warning the rebels until he had gathered more intel. Though, he had only been able to weasel out one very important detail: the location of manufacturing.

                    And as soon as he learned of it, he took a transport down to Capital City, where Thrawn’s Seventh Fleet loomed over. Once out of the transport, he discreetly snuck away on a speeder, taking his usual route to the communications tower a few miles outside the city.

                    Once inside, he configuring the frequencies, activated the port, and beamed out his warning to the rebels.

 

~ ▪ ~

                    Elena had no clue how long she had been in the training room, she only knew that she was about to start the sixth round of her favorite exercise. Standing at the bottom of the pit with limber muscles and a racing heart, she readied her stance in preparation. And after three lifelong seconds, the platforms began to move.

_There._

                   She jumped up to one right as it exited its spot in the wall and commenced her climb to the top. So much movement and energy buzzed around her, way more than she had felt the first time she had tried this exercise.

                   She had become so skilled in sensing the platform’s movements that she could effortlessly scale up the walls in fluid-like ease, usually finishing the exercise in under thirty seconds.

                   And not once had she predicted wrong about a platform’s movement.

                   It had been a while since she had last done this exercise. Ever since the Empire Day Ball, she had spent most of her time with Thrawn and had not made the effort to return to the training room. The two week mission on Ryloth had also muddled her day-to-day schedule. But after the second day of compiling planet names into Thrawn’s holomap, she inexplicably found herself wandering back to the training room, her ravaged mind longing for some sort of relief. Second only to Thrawn’s touch, working out had become one of her favorite outlets for all her bottled up stress and restlessness.

                   But after only a few days of regular visits to the training room, the exercise quickly became less of just a stress reliever and more of an experiment for these strange powers she had. By climbing up the gray platforms of the pit, she allowed herself to fully explore the full extent of this mysterious Force.

                   Though that conversation she had with Kallus still made her cringe, she couldn’t have been more grateful that it had happened. From their talk, she had finally learned that no, she was not crazy. These strange abilities she had were _not_ a part of her imagination and did indeed have a name. And in her comfort of knowing it was all real, she finally allowed herself to test out these unusual abilities. And in the mere five weeks since she and Thrawn began their project, she had discovered just how capable she was—and could be—with these Force powers.

                   Once she reached the top of the pit, she leaped incredibly high off the last platform, landing with a perfect front flip onto the floor. Her eyes widened as she stuck her landing. _This will take some getting used to_ , she thought. Jumping impossibly high had been a new discovery she had made a couple weeks ago. She giggled when she thought back to the first time it had happened. She had been three quarters of the way up the pit when she somehow jumped just high enough to overshoot the top. She had screamed the entire way down. Thank the stars she had landed on a mat and not the hard metal floor.

                   But what had truly been strange were not the new abilities she had discovered, but how natural and familiar the movements felt, and how in just mere weeks she had developed an almost advanced aptitude for the abilities. And that’s when she realized something:

                   It was muscle memory.

                   Or, at least something _like_ muscle memory. Nevertheless, she knew that she had to have wielded these powers once before. In regards to _when_ , however, she did not know. That bit of information was hidden within the fog of her amnesia.

                   The more she practiced, the more she could feel the rust melting away from these long-lost abilities. After only her second time practicing a high jump, she somehow instinctively knew to reach out to the Force—which had felt so foreign yet so familiar at the same time—in order to slow her speed on the way down, landing herself safely on the ground. Soon after that, her abilities in sensing amplified, as well as her hearing and sight. She found that she could reach out to objects far away, feeling them as though they were within reach. And after much concentration, she had even managed to telekinetically lift a small exercise ball off the ground. It had only risen about a foot up before she gasped and broke concentration, plopping it back on the floor. 

                   The Force. She was now aware of its surrounding presence at all hours of the day wherever she went. Before exploring her abilities, she had been so blind to its omnipresence. But now, the energy and life she could sense all around her felt like greeting an old friend after being gone for so long.

                   And now, as she rested her hands on her knees, exhausted from completing the sixth round of her exercise, she grinned. This Force—it was a clue to her past. At one time in her life, she must have trained with these powers.

                   After years of absolutely nothing to go off of except for her bracelet, she finally found another clue.

                   She was beginning to like these new powers of hers.

                   But something about them still scared her.

                   Why had she never heard about the Force until Kallus told her about it? Surely there must have been a reason to that. And there was also the matter of that chilling tale he had told her about the Jedi people. According to Kallus, they could use the Force, and they were all executed for treason. Maybe the Emperor had outlawed Force-users for that reason? She had never heard anyone so much as utter the word at the Academy, and the only other people she knew of who were Force-users—Ezra Bridger and Kanan Jarrus—were wanted criminals. They also happened to be Jedi too.

 _But wait, does that mean everyone who can use the Force is a Jedi?_ Her already boggled mind spun with confusion. _Are all Force-users Jedi? Or are Jedi just one type of Force-user?_ She buried her face in her hands. These powers were all too confusing, and made almost no sense to her.

                   And were better off being kept secret.

                   She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if her affinity to the Force were discovered. Would she be executed for it? Would it label her as a threat to society? Would the Empire use her abilities as a weapon?

                   She grappled with the idea of confiding her secret to Thrawn. She knew she could trust him, but…

                   She sighed. There was too much going on right now, and the last thing she wanted to do was give him one more thing to worry and ponder over. With his Fighter initiative and the hunt for the rebels, he had enough to worry about already. She could just tell him later.

                   She grimaced, feeling the need to clear her mind again. Glancing back down into the pit, she decided to fit one more round in before calling it a day.

~ ▪ ~

                   “Governor Pryce,” Thrawn said as the transmission went live.

                   “Grand Admiral,” she greeted in her clipped, faux-Core accent. “I have important news concerning your project.”

                   “How is everything proceeding?”

                   “So far, everything has been proceeding perfectly. A few prototypes have been completed and are ready for testing. The news I have, however, is less than pleasant.”

                   Thrawn raised a brow in question.

                   “It appears that within the past five weeks, malfunction rates for most vehicles and Walkers at the Imperial Armory Complex have risen astronomically for otherwise unknown reasons. My fear is that if this continues to go on, it may leak over into the location of your Fighter initiative program.”

                   Thrawn glared. “And you are unsure of the reasons behind these growing malfunction rates?”

                   “As of now, my suspicions are set on the IAC’s new and local hires. Perhaps the new hires were not trained properly in assembly. As for the locals who have been with the factory for some time…I fear it could be the beginnings of subversive activity.”

                   “That is a likely explanation,” Thrawn answered. “How long have these new hires been with the facility?”

                   “Most had started about four or five weeks ago, around the same time production of your Fighter began. The factory needed to fill the spaces left behind by its best workers, who were transferred to work on your ships.”

                   “Interesting,” Thrawn said. “These new hires…also locals, I presume?”

                   “Correct,” she answered.  

                   “Do you have access to the files of all workers operating in the areas of high malfunctioning rates?”

                   A twisted smile spread across her face, bringing out the cruelty in her eyes. “I do, and I can send them to you immediately.”

                   “Excellent, Governor. If I could have just a few hours tomorrow to study over these files, I may be able to discern a clear motive, and whether or not this supposed insurgency has a ring leader.”

                   Pure evil shone in her icy blue eyes. “And if you happen to find an answer, perhaps you could assist me with putting an end to this little revolt?”

                   “Of course, Governor.”

                   “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” she said before terminating the link.

~ ▪ ~

                   “Captain Hera, we’ve just received a new transmission from Fulcrum,” said one of the rebel lieutenants.

                   “Let’s hear it,” Hera said.

                   "This is Fulcrum. I have just heard news that a new weapon will soon be manufactured in bulk at the Imperial Armory Complex on Lothal. As to what exactly this new weapon is, I am uncertain. I suggest enlisting any help you can to destroy the factory before this weapon can be made, and to hinder their manufacturing of current weapons as well. Fulcrum out."

                   “A new weapon?” Sabine drew her brows together.

                   “Better take that place out before they can start making them in droves,” Zeb said.

                   Hera shook her head. “No, we need to find out what this weapon is first.”

                   “What’s the point in finding out when we can just destroy it while it’s just sitting in one place?” Ezra asked.

                   “That’s the thing—it may not just be in that factory,” Hera explained. “We don’t know what this weapon is or if they have copies of these plans elsewhere. What if it’s a new type of ship, or something they would make several of? No doubt the Empire probably has some models completed and stowed away somewhere else. Our best bet will be infiltrating the factory and stealing its blueprints. That way, we’ll know what we’re dealing with and how to fight against it.”

                   “She’s right, Ezra,” Kanan said. “We should contact Ryder, he’ll be able to help us.”

                   “We’ll comm him first thing in the morning,” Hera said. “And once we have those plans, I’m going to contact another rebel cell to aid us in attacking that factory.”

~ ▪ ~

                   “A new weapon, you say?” The hologram of Ryder Azadi, the former governor of Lothal, floated above the Atollon base’s transmission port. They had only been up for a few hours, but Hera was determined to start the mission as soon as possible.

                   “Yes, and apparently they’re being manufactured at the Imperial Armory Complex on Lothal,” Hera said.

                   Ryder chuckled. “Well, that’s too bad for them. That particular facility has had malfunctioning issues left and right.”

                   “How do you know that?” Hera asked.

                   He laughed. “That’s because I’ve got people on the inside that build everything to break.”

                   “You infiltrated the assembly line?” Kanan asked. “I’m impressed!”

                   “That’s the perfect cover to do some serious damage,” Ezra added.

                   “Wish I could take credit. Idea came from an old friend of yours,” he said as he turned his eyes to Ezra. Just then, a familiar-looking old man with white hair walked up next to Ryder.

                   “Mr. Sumar!” Ezra exclaimed. He hadn’t seen the old farmer since he and the Ghost crew had rescued him on Lothal. He had remained a good friend to Ezra’s parents, and had become almost like an uncle to him.

                   “Is that Ezra Bridger?” Mr. Sumar said. “I hardly recognize you. You’re so tall! And you’ve cut your hair.”

                   Ezra chuckled. “It’s good to see you too.”

                   “You know, it’s thanks to you that I finally got a chance to make a difference against the Empire,” Mr. Sumar said. “Your parents would be so proud to see you right now.”

                   "And they would agree that there is much more we can do," Ryder said. "Tell them about your plan," he said to Ezra.

                   "Phoenix Squadron is enlisting help from another rebel cell to take out the imperial factory there on Lothal," Ezra explained.  

                   "An attack?" Sumar said. "When will this strike happen?"

                   "Soon, hopefully," Kanan said. "It depends on what we learn while we're there."

                   "Our contact, Fulcrum, said the Empire's building a new type of weapon," Ezra said. "If we knew what it was, the other cells might agree to attack sooner rather than later."

                   “Our plan as of now is to safely obtain the plans to this new weapon, which I have no doubt are being stored somewhere in that facility,” Hera said.

                   "Well, they did just tighten security around Section A-2," Sumar said. "They transferred their best workers over there a few weeks back. That must be why they had to recruit so many new people to their labor force. I bet those plans would be over in that area.”

                   "Can you get us into that factory?" Kanan asked.

                   "Well, I don't know," Sumar said. "Do you have any manufacturing experience?"

                   "Uhh, not really," Ezra said.

                   Ryder chuckled. "Then you'll fit right in."

                   “When should we arrive on Lothal?” Kanan asked.

                   “Give us today to prepare,” Ryder told him. “Arrive here tomorrow morning, and we’ll proceed. Ezra, we’re going to provide you with a factory uniform and mask, for your disguise. Kanan, do you still have that stormtrooper armor?”

                   “Yes.”

                   “Great! Ezra, you’ll go in with Sumar disguised as a worker. Kanan, it might be best if you go in as a trooper, as that will grant you more freedom to walk around the facility, including Section A-2. It probably won’t hurt to find some armor for Ezra too, just in case something goes wrong. You still have that droid of yours?”

                   Chopper rolled up to the transmitter.

                   “Those plans will definitely be on some computer over in Section A-2,” Sumar said. “Your droid will need to infiltrate the area so he can download them off a port.”

                   “I’ll get Sabine to give him an imperial paint-job,” Hera said. Chopper grumbled. He always hated it when they had to cover up his orange paint with that ugly black and red design.

                   “Well, it sounds like we’ve got a good plan!” Ryder said. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

                   Hera ended the transmission. “Let’s hope we don’t run into any complications tomorrow…”

                   “Ha,” Ezra laughed. “That might be wishful thinking.”

                   “Kanan?” Hera turned her head, as did Ezra. Kanan had started walking away, but froze in his steps. “Where are you headed off to? I still need to discuss tomorrow’s plans with you and Ezra.”

                   He looked back. “Oh,” and turned towards her. “Sorry, I was…going to go meditate off base somewhere.”

                   “You’ve been doing that an awful lot lately…is everything ok?” Hera walked towards him, leaving Ezra out of earshot. “I haven’t seen you this withdrawn since you came back from that mission on Malachor…”

                   Kanan put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m fine. Really, I am.”

                   She didn’t believe him, but she could tell that he didn’t want to be pressed.

                   It was so difficult getting him to talk.

                   “I can go later though,” he said after she stayed quiet for a few seconds. “This mission is more important.”

                   She took his hand. “Are you sure everything is ok?”

                   “Yeah,” he said softly. “Everything is ok.”

~ ▪ ~

                   Thrawn had wasted no time in studying over the files Pryce had sent him. He worked late into the night, reading carefully over the numbers and charts detailing each worker’s and vehicle’s competency and success rates. A few hours in, he found himself wishing Eli had been there. The man’s talent for numbers and statistics were unmatched, and Thrawn would have loved the extra help.

                   He glanced up from his desk in the direction of his personal quarters. Elena had fallen asleep hours ago. Lately she had been exhausted most days, falling asleep only a few hours after dinner. She must have started working out again.

                   He wondered whether she would enjoy sparring with his sentry droids or not, which was his usual daily exercise. Though he preferred training on his own, he was certain he would enjoy teaching her in hand-to-hand combat.

                   Turning his attention back to the files, he skimmed through the last few sections of statistics; and within an hour, he had his answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you guys think of Rebel's season 4 premier? I thought it was awesome, and I'm looking forward to this season :)
> 
> As always, feel free to leave a comment (found any grammar mistakes? Think of something I can improve on? What do you want to see more of/don't want to see more of?), and thank you for all the support and love! It seriously makes my day to see that I'm getting views, kudos, and comments :).


	17. The Inside Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrawn and Elena help Governor Pryce investigate rebel activity at an imperial factory while Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper infiltrate the same factory to steal the plans to Thrawn's TIE-Defender.

                  “So, you’re confident that this is the culprit behind all the malfunction rates?”

                  “I am,” Thrawn answered. A hologram of an older, white-haired man known as Morad Sumar—or to the factory as Worker #5473—hovered above the desk of Thrawn’s makeshift office in the Imperial Armory Complex. He and Elena had only arrived on Lothal a few hours ago, and Governor Pryce already had the office space set up for him.  

                  She stood in front of his desk as she ran her hateful eyes over the old man’s image. “Very well,” she spat. “He and the other subversives should be dealt with accordingly. And I do believe I have just the right idea…”

                  “What do you have in mind?”

                  “I want to make an example of their ring leader,” she said. “Why don’t we have him test one of his defective vehicles? I’m sure that will strike enough fear into the others and end their petty resistance.”

                  “An excellent idea, Governor.” Thrawn had never been a huge proponent for bloodshed, especially where it could be avoided. He could not help but agree, however, that her idea would in fact be the most effective solution to their problem.

                  “Grand Admiral,” she said. “Will you allow me the honor of dispensing this punishment?”

                  He kept his features as stoic as possible. “The honor is all yours, Governor.” This woman would truly stop at nothing to get what she wanted. Batonn had taught him as much.

                  “Sir,” a stormtrooper strode into the room. Two other troopers followed behind, a large slab of concrete resting on a hoverdisk between them. “We’ve brought the piece of retaining wall you requested.”

                  “Thank you, Commander. If you would, place it here next to my desk.” The troopers did as they were told, and then left. The concrete slab stood like a monolith in the room. Bright pink, orange, and purple graffiti decorated the outer face.

                  “What’s this?” asked Pryce.

                  “My aide and I stumbled upon it shortly after our arrival this morning. I thought it would be…beneficial to my search for Phoenix Squadron’s rebel base.”

                  Before she could comment, a small voice from the hall grabbed their attention.

                  “Grand Admiral?” Thrawn looked up to see Elena standing in the doorway. “Agent Kallus and Lieutenant Lyste have arrived.”

                  “Wonderful,” Pryce said. “Shall we commence with our inspection?”

                  Thrawn stood up. “Yes, have the supervisors round up their workers in the main manufacturing area. Let them know that we will join them shortly.”

~ ▪ ~

                  “This mask…” Ezra pulled at the respirator, trying so desperately to adjust it. “…Is so _uncomfortable_.”

                  Mr. Sumar chuckled. “Hopefully you won’t have to wear it for too long.”

                  The two of them walked towards one of the factory’s employee entrances. Kanan strode behind them, disguised as a stormtrooper. He pushed along a crate, which concealed Ezra’s trooper disguise, just in case anything went wrong.

                  “Ezra, I’ll wait for you by the hallway entrance,” Kanan said. “Do you remember the way to go?”

                  “Yeah.”

                  They approached the door. Sumar put in the code, and soon they found themselves inside a massive assembly line area.

                  “Well, this is it,” Sumar said. “Kanan, the doorway you’ll want to wait by is straight ahead. There’s a closet near the door, just in case Ezra needs to change into his armor.”

                  “Thanks Sumar,” Kanan said before making his way across the floor. “And good luck.”

                  As Ezra and Mr. Sumar made their way across the floor, they noticed a formation of workers near one of the assembly lines. About eight or nine workers faced an imperial speeder bike, which had its wheels locked down in test mode. Heavy machinery and hissing filled their ears, and an incoherent voice bellowed through the intercom system above, echoing off the metal ceiling.

                  “What’s going on?” Sumar asked one of the workers.

                  “Some kind of inspection today,” he answered. “We just found out.”

                  Inspection? That could cause some difficulties. Ezra discreetly activated a small comm device hidden in his mask. “Hey Kanan,” Ezra said quietly into the comm. “There’s some kind of inspection going on, but I’ll try my best to sneak away once it’s over.”

                  “No worries,” Kanan answered. “We have time right now.”

                  Taking their places in line, Ezra and Mr. Sumar waited for the inevitable.

~ ▪ ~

                  “What do you think will happen?” Lieutenant Lyste asked Elena. They walked side by side behind Agent Kallus and Governor Pryce. Thrawn had to stay behind to give orders to a stormtrooper commander, but she knew he wouldn’t be too far behind.

                  The factory’s blinding fluorescent lights stung her eyes as they stepped onto the manufacturing floor. She gazed passed Kallus and saw about ten or twelve workers standing in a two-line formation, no doubt waiting for them.

                  “I don’t know,” she answered. “I just hope that this issue will be solved without having to rely on…extremities.”

                  Lyste nodded in acknowledgement, and the two stopped right behind Kallus and Pryce, who stood next to the lines of employees. All the workers were dressed in orange jumpsuits, each with a number printed on the left breast pockets. A few wore full-face respirator masks, completely covering their features. As Elena scanned the faces of each worker, she found that her eyes could not help but linger on one of the masked workers. The longer she looked at him, the more she could feel the beginnings of that all-too familiar sensation.

                  "Agent Kallus," Governor Pryce ordered, "Make sure the workers are all present and accounted for."

                  "Yes, Governor Pryce.” Drawing his shoulders back, he walked towards the front of the lines.

                  Elena continued to stare at the masked worker. She could feel his presence radiating like heat from a fire, and something about it felt vague and oddly familiar. Concentrating deeper, she focused her eyes on the ground. His connection to the Force was strong, as was his sense of purpose. He had some sort of… _objective_ for being here. But overshadowing everything was a thick film of nervousness swirling all around him. She looked up, and saw that he had turned his head slightly in her direction. His nervousness quickly turned into panic.

                  "Look sharp!” Kallus paced in front of the workers. “This factory is being honored by a surprise visit from Imperial High Command."

                  And as if right on cue, Elena caught a glimpse of Thrawn out of the corner of her eye. Hands behind his back, he walked slowly but menacingly towards the front of the line.

                  "Thank you for the introduction, Agent Kallus," Thrawn said in that cool, calm voice she loved so much. "My visit is not an honor, however; but an investigation."

                  Another dose of panic radiated from the worker. She couldn’t shake the feeling of how familiar his presence felt.

                  Thrawn slowly prowled down the front of the line, boring his crimson glare into each terrified worker he passed by. "Vehicles assembled in this factory malfunction at a rate far higher than that of others. I believe poor craftsmanship is to blame. And, it has cost your Empire troops and missions." She watched him pass by the Force-sensitive worker, who kept carefully still. "This will not be tolerated."

                  Elena tried to keep her focus on the worker, but the sound of Pryce’s voice snapped her back into reality.

                  "Worker 5473, you were pressed into the Empire's service?" Pryce stepped forward, glaring at an old, white-headed man standing next to the Force-user.

                  "Yes, ma'am," he answered. "After losing my farm."

                  "Do you stand by your work?" Ice coated her words, sending a shiver down Elena’s spine.

                  "I do," he answered, but not without a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

                  "This 624-AVA is the last bike you personally inspected and assembled," she said, eyes full of contempt. "Please, demonstrate for us how quickly it can achieve full speed."

                  Elena felt a stab of adrenaline in her heart, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She looked at the hesitant old man and then back at Pryce. Though the hatred in her eyes burned brightly, Elena could see something else hidden beneath her gaze—a sort of maniacal irrationality. Her stomach turned as she delved deeper into the governor’s presence. She felt like jagged shards of ice, her soul corrupted by anger and narcissism. The tension in the room felt a thousand times thicker once Elena figured out Pryce’s intentions.

                  This woman wanted bloodshed.

                  “No,” Elena quietly mouthed to herself.

                  "We don't have all day," Pryce coldly said when the worker still wouldn’t move. A stormtrooper forced him forward and shoved him towards the bike. Elena noticed the Force-user make the slightest movement, panic and dread swirling around him once again.

                  She watched with uneasiness as the old man started up the bike and revved it up to high speed before the engine started glowing red.

                  "Something's wrong, it's overheating!” he yelled. “We're going to have to shut it down." But even as he started revving down, the bike still maintained its speed.

                  "No," Pryce said, overriding the bike’s controls with her datapad. "The demonstration is not over yet." Elena watched in horror as the metal around the engine overheated again and eventually exploded, killing the old man in the process.

                  She looked away just in time, covering her mouth in an effort to silence her gasp. A painful stab of despair rippled off the Force-sensitive worker, who was doing everything he could to stay rooted in his spot in line. She could sense the shock and fear radiating off of Kallus and Lyste, and the satisfaction blooming from Pryce. From Thrawn she could feel a faint vibe of uneasiness, which was very much at odds with his outwardly stoic composure. 

                  She watched Thrawn step forward. Elena couldn’t tell if he was angry or trying to be intimidating. Either way, he succeeded with the latter. "Now that we have your attention, know this," he said. "Whatever you build here, you will test, personally. I expect your malfunction rates to drop substantially."

 _He’s only doing his job_ , Elena thought. She knew it had to have been Pryce’s idea to kill the old man as a statement. And it worked. Thrawn must have known this too and played his part accordingly.

                 "See to it that no one leaves or enters the facility. I wish to inspect the line for sabotage," Thrawn said to Lyste. “Commander Rizzo,” she looked up at him. “If you would, stay here and watch for any suspicious behavior. Report anything you see directly to me.” She peered into his eyes and was surprised to see something apologetic and soft hidden beneath his austere gaze.

                 She understood.

                 “Yes, Grand Admiral.”

                 She watched him walk away, Kallus and Pryce following him closely behind.

                 "Hold them here," she heard Lyste say to the troopers. "The factory is on full lockdown."

 _Better keep an eye on that worker_ , Elena thought as she focused her gaze back on him. She stood next to Lyste, who was trying his hardest to maintain control.

                 "Workers," she heard him say, "Form two lines. Prepare for verification and questioning."

                 As the workers shuffled into their lines, a stormtrooper stepped forward. "Present your identification card for examination."

                 She kept her eyes glued to the Force-user, who was trying his damnedest to be last in line. She knitted her brows as an imperial astromech droid rolled up and stood suspiciously close to the worker, whose head was tilted slightly towards the droid. Were they conversing?

                 Elena looked closer. Something about that little droid looked so familiar. Keeping her eyes on it, she watched the droid roll over to a nearby control panel and activate something. To the left, she could faintly hear one of the test bike’s engines start up.

                 "Look out!" a trooper yelled. Elena felt someone yank her down to the ground and shield her with their body. She peered up through her protector’s arms to see that the bike had crashed into the wall directly behind where they were standing.

                 Lyste, who had shielded her from the danger, pulled her to her feet. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

                 “Yes,” she said, bewildered by all the commotion.

                 Then she remembered, and jerked her head towards the direction the Force-sensitive had been standing.

                 He was gone.

                 "Droid!" Lyste yelled. "What is the _matter_ with you?" Elena looked up, and saw the astromech still standing at the control panel. "Report to maintenance!"

                 The little droid warbled something in response, and made his way towards the opposite side of the factory floor.

                 And that’s when she realized why it looked so damned familiar. It was that same droid she had seen on Ryloth—the old, outdated C1 model she had seen rolling around the Syndulla house. It had to be the same one because the Empire never used outdated droids, making the odds of two exactly identical C1 models both working for the Empire slim to none. Even on Ryloth that droid had seemed suspicious to her. The last time she saw it, it had been rolling towards the _Ghost_ mere seconds before the explosions had set off.

                 And now it was here; and causing trouble, nonetheless.

                 She watched it quickly roll away and glared.

                 That droid wasn’t going to the maintenance. No, that droid was up to something. And Elena was going to follow it and find out.

~ ▪ ~

                 Amidst all the chaos Chopper had caused, Ezra managed to sneak out of the area and into the hallway where Kanan had been waiting for him.

                 “Here,” he thrust Ezra’s scout trooper disguise into his hands. “Change into that as quickly as you can.”

                 Once Ezra had changed and both rebels were perfectly camouflaged from any suspicious eyes, they walked towards their destination, Section A-2.

                 “Chopper will meet up with us there,” Kanan said.

                 “Uh, Kanan…” Ezra hesitated. “We might have a problem.”

                 “What? What problem?”

                 “That Force-sensitive girl Hera and I saw on Ryloth…she, uh…might be here…along with Grand Admiral Thrawn…”

                 “What?!” Kanan whisper-yelled.

                 “What should we do?” Ezra asked. “She could sense me before. What if she senses us now?”

                 “Was she still in that room when you ran out?”

                 “I think so…I-I don’t know. I was so focused on getting out that I didn’t look behind me.”

                 Kanan stayed quiet for a moment. “Our best bet is to split up then.”

                 “What?”

                 “If we stay together, it will be far easier for her to sense us and track us down. If we split up, she’ll have a harder time finding both of us at the same time.” He turned his head. “Here, you go down that hallway and I’ll take this one. We’ll meet up at the A-2 entrance.”

                 “Hey, Kanan?”

                 “See if you can meet up with Chopper on your way there,” he said, oblivious to Ezra’s question.

                 He started down the hallway when Ezra called back to him. “Kanan.”

                 His Jedi master turned to face him.

                 “Is everything ok? You seem distracted.”

                 “This is an important mission, Ezra. If we don’t hurry, we’ll blow our cover.” And with that, he took off down the hall.

~ ▪ ~

                 “Grand Admiral,” Elena’s voice came through Thrawn’s commlink. “I’m noticing suspicious activity in one of our astromech droids and have chosen to follow it. I’ve left Lieutenant Lyste in charge of questioning the workers.”

                 “Thank you, Commander,” Thrawn answered. “Continue your pursuit and report anything of interest back to me.”

                 Stowing his commlink away, he continued his walk with Governor Pryce and Agent Kallus into the AT-DP assembly line area.

                 Intrigued by the comm, Pryce spoke up. “Grand Admiral, you don’t think the rebels have infiltrated Section A-2 as well, do you? The secrecy of that project is—“

                 “—is imperative,” Thrawn finished for her. The state of the factory had been worse than he thought, and he was finding it increasingly more difficult to hide his annoyance with her. “Which is why I ordered anyone attempting to enter the area without my personal codes to be terminated on sight." he turned his head towards Pryce. "You should not have compromised security by hiring locals."

                 "This factory has quotas to meet," she replied.

                 "I can question the workers," Kallus chimed in, "but I won't know if they're lying without more information about this new project."

                 Pryce glared at him, snooting down her nose. "All _you_ need to know is that the Admiral has a new Fighter initiative here."

                 "A new fighter?" Kallus asked incredulously. "Difficult to see how one small ship will change much."

                 "Agent," Thrawn turned towards Kallus as they stopped in front of an AT-DP Walker. "Victory and defeat are often determined by the smallest detail." He turned his head. "For example, take this Walker." As Pryce and Kallus glanced up at it, Thrawn turned towards a lone worker standing in front. "Is this your work?" he asked the young man.

                 "Yes sir, I oversaw its construction," the worker answered.

                 "Have the Walker step forward," he said to Kallus, who activated it with his datapad. It hadn't taken two steps before malfunctioning and collapsing to the ground.

                 Two troopers seized the young man, carrying him off somewhere as he tried to plead with them.

 ~ ▪ ~

                 This place was a maze. That was for sure.

                 Falling back on the skills she had learned as a thief, Elena snaked down the hallways as silent as an assassin. The little astromech seemed unaware that it was being followed.  

                 A couple of times she thought she had lost it, but would catch its big red head right before turning a corner.

                 Once she made note of where exactly they were, she knew exactly what was going on.

 _We’re near A-2_ , she thought. _I knew it. He wants to steal those plans for the rebels._

                 Had she stayed on the droids tail, she would have stopped it before it made its way to the restricted area. But something had grabbed her attention—a nervous high energy coming down the left hallway.

                 She stopped, pressing herself against the wall. The presence grew, and she knew it was the same one she had felt back on the factory floor. Someone was coming—someone who could use the Force.

_That worker._

_Damn it._

                It finally clicked in her mind. The rebels were here, and they were after those plans. That worker—it had to be that boy, Ezra Bridger. Disguises seemed to be his go-to method, and something about that presence she felt brought up his image in her mind. With her chances of following the droid long gone, she decided to stay behind and deal with him. Still pressed against the wall, she waited until she could feel him creep closer. He had stopped though, and not far from where she stood. No doubt he could probably sense her too.

                She jumped out of her hiding spot, and came face-to-face with a scout trooper—the same disguise he had worn back on Ryloth.

                Now she had no doubt in her mind that it was him.

                “Stop!” she yelled. But before she could get the word out of her mouth, he stretched out his arms and blew her back with such force that she landed halfway down the hall.

                Bewildered, she looked up to see that he was running away. But she was back on her feet in mere seconds, pursuing him down the hall.

                Did he just use the Force to _blow her down the hall?_

 _Can I do that?_ she wondered.

                She reached for her commlink, fully intent on telling Thrawn of her findings, but it had been snatched out of her hand by the same invisible power that had flung her forward. She watched as the comm flew across the hall and into the still-disguised Bridger’s hands.

                “I know it’s you, Bridger!” she yelled after him. She huffed as he crushed her commlink with his foot and took off running. She pursued, but noticed that he was headed in the opposite direction of Section A-2, most likely trying to lead her away.

                Little good that would do him, she thought to herself.

                _If I can just keep him away from A-2, I can stall their little plans_ , she thought. _No doubt we’ll eventually run into some stormtroopers around here._

~ ▪ ~

               After nearly escaping all the commotion, Chopper finally rolled up to his destination, and waiting for him near the entrance was Kanan, who Chopper could recognize by the orange band on his armored shoulder.

               “Hey Chop,” he said. “Where’s Ezra?”

               “Fighting with an imperial who was following me,” he warbled.

               Kanan dipped his head. _Great_. They needed to move quickly.

               “Here,” Kanan pulled out a datacard. “I found out that you need a special code to get into the section. I managed to steal this from another droid while you were on your way.” Chopper took the card with one of his grippers. “Go up to the guards and give them the card. It should grant you access. You know what to do from there.”

               “You got it,” Chopper beeped.

               Rolling up unsuspiciously to the guards, he handed them the datacard, and soon found himself inside a windowless control room full of gargantuan computers and masked workers. Nobody paid him a wink of attention.

               Once he found an unoccupied dataport, he connected with it, and commenced his download.

~ ▪ ~

               Back in his make-shift office, Thrawn stood in the center of his holographic gallery of artwork. Among his collected pieces were Hera’s family portrait, a couple of Lothalian landscapes, and two Mandalorian paintings. But despite all the artwork surrounding him, his attention rested on the only tangible piece in the room—the severed section of wall he had requested. He studied the details of the loud, colorful graffiti. A large bird in the shape of a crescent dominated the background while a pink outline of a Loth-cat lay near the bottom. With one hand resting under his chin, he pondered over the lines and colors while silently wondering why Elena had not commed him yet.

               "Sir?" Lieutenant Lyste and Agent Kallus entered his office. They must have finished questioning the workers.

               "Lieutenant," Thrawn addressed him, "What can you tell me about this?"

               "Uhh," the young man sighed, perplexed by the question. "It looks…like…a section of the retaining wall, sir," he said.

               "Ah," Thrawn tried not to shake his head in disappointment. Such small minds he had been given to work with. "Agent Kallus?" he asked, hoping for a more perceptive analysis.

               "It's the mark of the Phoenix Squadron," Kallus answered. "A creature of flight, rising in flames—a symbol of their commitment to victory."

               "It is that…and more" Thrawn said. “I've seen it everywhere—marking territory. It is a commitment, but to this world specifically. These rebels have an attachment to this place and will always return." He turned to face Lyste. "So, have you found any more subversives?"

               Lyste hesitated, trying his best not to make direct eye contact. "Actually, sir, we've…lost one. One worker went missing after your speech…we found his uniform."

               "I'm confident we will locate them once we issue an alert,” Kallus quickly chimed in.

               "No, I think not," Thrawn said. "The defectors will have new disguises by now. They'll hide as technicians or troopers to gather data and escape." Thrawn paced a few steps, stopping before the portrait of Hera's family. “Have you heard anything from Commander Rizzo, Lieutenant?”

               “No, sir,” Lyste answered. “Last I saw her, she had left to follow and investigate a malfunctioning astromech droid.”

               “Commander?” Thrawn activated his commlink, but found that he was unable to reach her. He turned to face the two men. “Her link has been disabled. Most likely she has had a run in with the rebels…”

               "So you think the rebels are more than just saboteurs?" Kallus asked.

               Thrawn turned his livid eyes to him. "Indeed I do, Agent Kallus. These rebels are after information and are likely heading to Section A-2. Secure it."

~ ▪ ~

               Elena buried her face in her hands. She had lost him.

               “Commander!” Several troopers ran up to her, blasters ready. “Is everything ok? We heard commotion down the hall.”

               “No,” she said. “There are rebels here, and they are headed to Section A-2. We need to hurry!”

               “Sir!” the trooper acknowledge.

               As they made their way down the halls, Elena asked the troopers if she could borrow a comm. But to her disgruntlement, not a single trooper had one to give.

 _I guess it’s just up to me_ , she thought.

~ ▪ ~

               "What's taking him so long?" Kanan grumbled. Chopper had finished gathering the intel and stood with Kanan, who was beginning to worry. Where the hell was Ezra?

               He turned at the sound of hurried footsteps, sensing Ezra’s approach.

               “Come on Kanan, let’s go!” he said as he buzzed by.

               “Ezra!” Kanan and Chopper hurried after him. “Ezra, what’s going on?”

               But Kanan had his answer when he heard the shouts of troopers turning down the hall.

               “They’re rebels! Stop them!”

               Kanan caught up next to Ezra. “Let me guess,” he said with mild irritation. “That girl found you, didn’t she?”

               “Let’s just get out of here,” Ezra replied. “Here!” He grabbed Kanan’s arm, tugging him to the left.

               "I want all exits locked down and all ID's checked and verified," Kanan heard a young imperial say down the hall.

               "Not that way," Kanan said quietly before the two scurried off in the opposite direction. They kept their pace, still hearing the shouts behind them.

               Eventually the two stumbled upon a lift. Ezra jabbed the button frantically until the door finally opened.  But inside the lift stood one of the last people they wanted to run into—Agent Kallus.

               "You two, come with me to secure the perimeter." Kallus said to them. Ezra and Kanan exchanged a look beneath their helmets. They _were_ still in their trooper outfits. Maybe they already had him fooled. And if that were the case, all they needed to do was just keep the charade up a little longer and then they could finally escape.

               The two rebels and Chopper stepped into the lift with Kallus, and closed the door. Outside, Kanan could still hear the shouts from their pursuers, but the lift was already on its way up.

               And as soon as it started to make its ascension, Kallus spoke in a low, deadly voice. "Don't move, rebels.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's a note on sensing someone with the Force:  
> I don't really know how sensing another with the Force works, but I've come up with something that's only relevant to this story. If Elena (or any other Force-user) senses someone for the first time, she can only sense that person as being a Force-user. Other than that, she doesn't know anything else about them (gender, age, appearance, name, etc.). The second time she senses the same person's presence, it will feel a little familiar, but probably still not enough to identify the person. But after the fifth/sixth time, she can pick up on who it is and identify the person.  
> So during the Sumar death scene, Elena wasn't able to identify the worker as Ezra because that was only her second time sensing him. 
> 
> As always, thank you for all the kudos and nice comments :) You guys seriously make my day <3


	18. Traitor to the Empire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agent Kallus reveals important information to Ezra and Kanan. Phoenix Squadron learns about a frightful, new imperial weapon. Kanan presses Ezra for information about the Force-sensitive imperial back at the factory. Elena and Thrawn plan their next move.

                      A solid, tense second passed before both Kanan and Ezra turned around and jabbed Kallus in the gut with their elbows. Kallus fought back hard, but Kanan had him pinned against the wall of the lift.

                      "Listen to me!" Kallus seethed through his teeth. "I am Fulcrum.”

                      The two rebels exchanged a glance before Ezra laughed. "Yeah, right!"

                      "You want us to believe _that_?" Kanan asked sharply.

                      "By the light of Lothal's moons," Kallus said with a straight face.

                      Kanan released him, and both he and Ezra removed their helmets. "The code phrase!" Ezra said to Kanan. " _He’s_ Fulcrum?"

                      Kallus knitted his brows. "Your friend Zeb trusted me on the ice moon all those months ago. I saved Sabine Wren at the Fighter Academy, and now I'm trying to save _you_." He huffed, exasperated by all the tension. "But you _have_ to trust me."

                      Kanan grimaced. Of all the people he had suspected of being Fulcrum, he never would have suspected _Kallus_. " _Fine_. You want to help us so badly? We need to get a signal to our friends."

                      "Then we'll have to move quickly," Kallus said.

~ ▪ ~

                      "Watch out!" Kallus yelled as he stumbled in through the door of a communications room. "They're rebels!" He shot with his blaster, pretending to fend off Ezra and Kanan, who were still wearing their stormtrooper armor.

                      Using the Force, Kanan and Ezra pushed the frantic imperials into each other and against the equipment, knocking some of them out. An unconscious stormtrooper crashed into Kallus, plummeting him to the floor. Once they were safe, Kallus lifted himself off the ground, rubbing his head. "You could have warned me you were going to do _that_."

                      "Where's the fun in that?" Ezra teased.

                      Kallus shook his head in annoyance. "Your droid can open your commlinks from this port," he gestured with a nod of his head. "I'll provide the access codes."

                      "That's ok," Chopper beeped. "I don't need them."

                      "He says he doesn't need them," Ezra translated to Kallus.

                      "He…doesn't?" Kallus stood up. "This C-1 of yours is highly efficient."

                      "Finally! Someone who appreciates me," Chopper sassed as he worked on opening their comms.

                      "Figures Chopper would get along with an imperial spy," Ezra joked.

                      Once Chopper finished, Kanan tested the link, and then contacted Ryder. "Ryder, it's Kanan. You there?"

                      "Closer than you think," Ryder answered. "We're about to hit the east gate. That'll give you a chance to escape. You'll need to move if you wanna make it out."

                      "We will, and thanks,” Kanan said before shutting off the link. 

                      Kallus turned to him. "Make for the east vehicle pool. You'll find a Walker there you can escape in." He looked around at the disaster caused by Ezra and Kanan. "Now, I just have to make _this_ …” he gestered around the room, “…look convincing.”

                      "No problem," Ezra said right before using the Force to throw Kallus across the room and through a glass computer screen, shattering it into a million jagged shards.

                      "Ezra!" Kanan scolded.

                      "What?!" He gestured towards the shattered screen. " _That_ is convincing!"

                      "Yeah, but _I_ was going to do it!"

                      "Well, if he's one of us now, you'll get your chance," Ezra said. Kallus heard their voices slowly fade as they left the room. With a sore head and back, he dragged himself out of the broken glass.

~ ▪ ~

                      Thrawn grimaced at his datapad. "An unlicensed droid accessed the computer in Section A-2. I can only assume that they've acquired my plans." He handed the datapad to Governor Pryce and walked towards the office's windows, peering out with a pensive glare. "But something has changed…” He rested a hand under his chin. “The rebels should have attempted to escape via the factory by now."

                      "Maybe they realize they're trapped," Pryce said.

                      "More likely they have found an unexpected ally," Thrawn said. "Or perhaps…an expected one." He turned to look at Pryce.

                      She drew her brows together. "I'm not sure I follow."

                      "The rebels will attempt a different means of escape, and we must adapt our strategy accordingly."

                      “Grand Admiral!” He looked up at the door to see a distraught Elena along with three or four troopers. “Ezra Bridger and a rebel droid are in the factory. I tried to warn you but he destroyed my commlink during my pursuit.”

                      “Where did you last see him, Commander?” Thrawn asked.

                      “I, along with these troopers, followed him, his droid, and a disguised comrade all the way to a lift not far from A-2. They got away, but Agent Kallus was in the lift when it opened.”

                      A very fascinating bit of information, Thrawn thought. But before he could respond, the distressed voice of Lieutenant Lyste came through his comm.

                      "Grand Admiral! There is a small band of rebels attacking the east gate." Thrawn looked at Pryce, a hard, serious look on his eyes. "I've deployed two AT-AT's, should I send backup?"

                      "Yes, Lieutenant. Let's play their game."

                      He ended the comm, and turned to Elena. “Commander Rizzo, if you would, hurry over to the east vehicle pool and assist Lieutenant Lyste.”

                      “Yes, sir,” she said before departing.

~ ▪ ~

                      Elena and Lyste watched as red canon blasts from both sides collide. The two imperial Walkers Lyste had deployed were trying their best to hit the speeder full of rebels, but it seemed neither could get in a decent shot.

                      “Ground assaults are definitely not my specialty...” Elena muttered to herself before activating her commlink. “Maintain your positions,” Elena ordered the Walkers. “You’ll have a better chance at hitting them from this distance.”

                      “Copy that, Commander.”

                      “What is that AT-DP _doing_?” Elena heard Lyste say.

                      She looked up and saw the small Walker advance towards the fray. She grimaced, knowing that she had not called for back-up. That could only mean one thing—Ezra and his comrades were attempting escape. “Oh, I think I know _exactly_ what it’s doing.”

                      “AT-DP 216, what are you doing here?” Elena heard one of the AT-AT captains say through the comm. “You’re not a part of this operation.”

                      “Uh…we’re your reinforcements!” said a timid yet familiar voice.

                      Ezra Bridger.

                      “Attention Walkers, disregard the speeders,” Elena ordered through her comm. “That AT-DP is under rebel control, destroy it!”

                      But even though the AT-AT’s gave their best efforts, she watched the rebels outgun the two massive armored transports.

                      “No!” Elena said. “Deploy more Walkers!”

                      But it was too late. Once the reinforcements had made their outside the factory, Ezra and his two rebel comrades had made it out of their Walker and into the rebels’ speeder. She could already feel the frustration coursing through her veins as the speeder disappeared into the afternoon sun.

~ ▪ ~

                      "I think I've almost got the data decrypted…" Sabine’s fingers danced over the portscreen’s keypad. It had only taken an hour and a half for Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper to arrive back on Atollon, and Kanan had wasted no time in handing the plans over to Hera and Sabine. He, along with the rest of the crew, stood around the port, waiting for Sabine to finish her work.

                      Once she was done, she removed the disk from the port and placed it inside one of the base's astromech droids. Activating the droid's holoprojector, a visual of the plans appeared along with pictures of what appeared to be a TIE-fighter.  

                      "Woah…" Sabine’s jaw dropped.

                      "I've never seen an imperial fighter like that," Hera said. "Sabine, talk to me."

                      Sabine skimmed through the written details. "Looks like some kind of TIE interceptor…but this one has shields…" She gritted her teeth in worry.

                      Hera’s troubled eyes grew wide. "But TIE fighters have never had shields before…"

                      "Maybe _that’s_ why it's so secret," Zeb said.

                      "If they're actually building these in numbers, our pilots won't stand a chance…" Hera cast her eyes to the ground.

                      "And neither will the Rebellion…" Kanan mumbled.

                      "How'd you get past Thrawn with these plans?" Hera asked him. "Someone's losing more than their job for that."

                      "I guess we can thank Agent Kallus," Kanan replied. "He knew Fulcrum's secret code phrase."

                      "Wait, wait, wait," Sabine said, holding her hands up. " _Kallus_ is _Fulcrum_? How does that even make sense?"

                      "Karabast…" Zeb grumbled. "I must have recruited him." He shook his head. "You know…accidently."

                      "You mean when you were stuck on that _ice moon_ with him?" Ezra asked.

                      "Eh, well…we didn't kill each other, so…I guess we're friends now," Zeb scratched his head.

                      "Still," Hera said, "We'll use caution with our new _friend_ until we're sure we know what game he's playing."

                      And after a few more minutes of questions and parting comments, each member of the crew started to disperse away from the port and off to finish whatever they were working on before the meeting.

                      Ezra had started walking off towards the _Ghost_ when Kanan stopped him.

                      "Ezra.”

                      He turned.

                      “I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk,” Kanan said as he caught up with him.

                      "Sure,” Ezra answered. “What's up, Kanan?"

                      "That Force-sensitive imperial you fought with at the factory…what happened back there?”

                      "Well, luckily she didn’t have a blaster…but she did manage to trip me a few times using the Force.” Ezra worriedly twitched his mouth to the side. “She wasn’t all that strong but…I guess she’s been training with her abilities.”

                      “You speak as though she had not been skilled before,” Kanan said a little too quickly. His heart began to pound with anticipation for his long, pent-up curiosity.

                      “That’s just it…she wasn’t,” Ezra said. “Back on Ryloth, it felt to me as though she had only just discovered her powers.”

                      Under his mask, Kanan knitted his brows together. _Only just discovered her powers?_ That didn’t make sense…

                      "Did you happen to catch her name?" Kanan pressed.

                      "Back in the factory, I heard Thrawn call her 'Commander Rizzo,’ if I’m remembering correctly."

                      Kanan frowned. _Rizzo?_ That didn’t make any sense either.

                      "Why so curious all the sudden?" Ezra asked with a raised brow.

                      A second passed before Kanan found his words. “Because she’s shown up twice now, and with Thrawn.” He kept his emotions as under control as best as he could so Ezra wouldn’t notice. “We need to keep tabs on her just in case she becomes stronger. That could mean serious danger for us.”

                      It wasn’t a complete lie, but it wasn’t the complete truth either. Nevertheless, Ezra agreed with Kanan’s reason.

                      And for the rest of the day, Kanan busied himself with helping Hera, desperate for any sort of distraction from the nervous confusion swirling inside him.

~ ▪ ~

                      It had been two hours since the attack, but the factory was still under lockdown as a new investigation had begun.

                      All the endless questioning had driven Elena to irritation; and after having to recount her run-in with Ezra Bridger for the umpteenth time—and being careful not to mention anything about her Force abilities—she was more than ready to finally get off Lothal. But for now, she stood with Thrawn in his office alongside Governor Pryce and Agent Kallus as they questioned all imperial personnel involved in the rebel attack.

                      "Thank you, Lieutenant. Dismissed."

                      Elena watched her friend Lyste exit Thrawn’s office after giving his report of the Walker attack.

                      "Agent Kallus,” Thrawn said without taking his eyes off his datapad. “I read your report. Several troopers confirmed your encounter with the Jedi was very helpful. But, you know, after analyzing the rebel's escape, it's clear to me they had help from one within our own imperial ranks."

                      Elena's eyes widened. _A…traitor?_

                      "The rebels have a mole? Then all personnel must be interrogated!" Pryce angrily exclaimed.

                      "Patience, Governor," Thrawn said. "Acting out of emotion will not serve us here." He paced around them, hands behind his back. "We must wait, and watch. And when we find our spy—and we _will_ find them—we shall turn them from an obstacle to an asset. Wouldn't you agree, Agent Kallus?" It was only there for a second, but Elena caught the glint in his red eyes as he turned to face the ISB agent.

                      "Your strategy is without flaw, Grand Admiral," Kallus said. "As always…"

~ ▪ ~

                      “You suspect him then?” Elena asked Thrawn. “Agent Kallus?”

                      Thrawn turned to look at her. The sun had begun to set over Lothal as their private transporter commenced its journey back to the _Chimaera_. As soon as the ship’s doors shut, Elena had wasted no time in indulging her curiosity.

                      “Your report, along with others, cast a suspicious light on him. As do a few subtle inconsistencies in his own story.”

                      All Elena had seen were the two disguised rebels and their droid escape onto an elevator with Agent Kallus. She distinctly remembered Kallus being fooled by the disguises and ordering the “troopers” to help him search the building’s perimeter. But what had been suspicious to her was Kallus’s blatant disregard for her and her trooper’s warnings. They had kept shouting at him to stop and that the two troopers and the droid were rebels. And that was _before_ the lift door had closed. Kallus had to have been deaf not to hear the warnings.

                      “I did think it was odd that he didn’t respond to our warnings to stop and detain them…” she trailed off. “In his story, he did claim that he was attacked by them though…and that there were eye witnesses to the attack…”

                      “A very convincing set-up, I believe,” Thrawn said.

                      Elena shook her head as she glanced out the window at the receding countryside. “How should we proceed?

                      “I want to wait until we receive those probe droids I requested, which should be very shortly,” Thrawn answered. “Then I will put Agent Kallus in charge of the project. If we notice any suspicious activity happening, it will at least whittle our search down to him and a few others. And perhaps we’ll learn if our traitor is working with other imperials as well.”

                      With a skeptical face, she turned back to Thrawn. “But if he _is_ the spy, wouldn’t he find a way to sabotage your droid project?”

                      “Only if he sends out a warning to the rebels, and they prepare accordingly,” Thrawn answered. “But even if he does, the droids will still be able to narrow down our search substantially. There is nothing he could do to stop that from happening without being overly obvious.”

                      “So he wouldn’t be able to sabotage the droids’ programming or trajectories?” Elena asked.

                      “No. I’ve already had them programmed, and the team on the _Judicator_ will be in charge of deploying the droids. Agent Kallus will remain on the _Chimaera_ , where he will monitor the deployments and returns via communication ports, which I will have thoroughly monitored and recorded.”

                      Elena raised her brows, impressed with his planning. With the droids on the _Judicator_ , which served as Thrawn’s back-up Star Destroyer just in case anything happened to the _Chimaera_ , there truly would not be anything Kallus could do to sabotage the project. And if he were dumb enough to contact the rebels, they’d have him on recording.

                      Still, she wondered. “What if he communicates with them through a port you won’t be monitoring?”

                      A smug glint shined in Thrawn’s eyes. “Not too many know this, but all transmissions beamed from imperial ships are almost always tracked and noted. It is only a matter of whether they are worth listening to. Every time a communications port beams a transmission, the activity and trajectory points are noted by a few members of personnel on the bridge or in the communications center. As you can imagine, most comms go unmonitored, since the majority of them are harmless conversations between personnel or comms between an imperial officer and their friends or family.”

                      Elena’s eyes widened, and she hoped her guilty shock had not betrayed her. All those times she and Janali had commed each other—all those less than appropriate conversations they had had about her and Thrawn’s relationship…some random imperial officer could have easily been listening on.

                      Thrawn continued, “If, however, an officer under suspicion comms from any port, the message can easily be monitored and recorded. Knowing this, I’ve decided to have _all_ comms made on the _Judicator_ and the _Chimaera_ monitored during the duration of our probe droid project.”

                      Elena couldn’t help a small smile. This project would not only narrow down their search for the rebel base, but also help them catch a traitor, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

                      She hoped to the stars that Kallus was the traitor. She couldn’t stand the man and wanting nothing more than for him to leave the _Chimaera_ and never come back.

                      “And in the meantime…” Elena turned to him as he spoke. “I would also like to conduct interviews before and after our droid project with officers who have had multiple encounters with Phoenix Squadron. Perhaps we can learn more from them and gain enough information to accuse Kallus, who remains as my prime suspect.”

                      “Would you like for me to contact these officers?” Elena asked.

                      “Yes, my dear. Once we return to the _Chimaera_ , I’ll compile a list of everyone I want to interview. See to it that you communicate and set up the appointments. I want to interview no more than three officers at a time.”

                      She nodded her head. And just as she felt the pull of the Chimaera’s tractor beam, Elena began planning out her days until the probe droids arrived.

                      She and Thrawn had a lot of work to do until then.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter felt like a filler! I don't like writing battle scenes, and I honestly just wanted to get done with "Inside Man." 
> 
> Are you guys liking Rebels season 4 so far? I'm liking the tie-ins to Rogue One, and "Flight of the Defender" was pretty good. Looks like we'll be meeting Rukh next Monday (the fact he's on the show makes me nervous... o_o)


	19. The War Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week after the incident at Lothal's TIE factory, Thrawn receives his infiltrator droids and immediately dispatches them to locate Phoenix Squadron's rebel base. Kallus makes a risky decision after learning important information, and Zeb finds a mysterious droid outside of Chopper Base. Meanwhile, Thrawn teaches Elena how to spar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important!: You may want to refresh yourself on that Emperor Palpatine--Vader scene at the end of Chapter 6. 
> 
> Also, for those of you who watch Rebels, I'm really sorry but I had to include three Zeb, Chopper, AP-5 scenes for the sake of the story's flow. The scenes are almost word-for-word the scenes from "War Head." The Fulcrum message in the second Zeb scene IS important though, so make sure you pay attention to it if you chose to skim/skip those scenes. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy :)

                 Just as the sun was beginning to peak its head over Atollon’s horizon, a small podship quietly landed atop one of the planet’s many sand dunes. The ship’s door hissed opened, and a blue, humanoid droid emerged from its belly and stepped out onto the ground.

                He turned his head from side to side as he took a few steps forward. “Assignment: Atollon,” he said as his scanners roamed over the landscape. He continued to walk forward until his scanners finally settled on a decent-sized encampment in the distance.

                “Possible target acquired. Proceeding with investigation.” He turned his full attention to the distant settlement, but he had not taken more than five steps before his scanners picked up something else.

                A gargantuan spider walked up to him and blocked his path. It paced back in forth, gnashing its mandibles in anger.

                The droid turned around, only to come face-to-face with another spider. “Hostiles encountered. Cannot give away position…”

                But before he could utter the last word, the spiders pounced, deactivating the droid before it could go into attack mode.    

~ ▪ ~

                “Really? Your own ship?”

                Kallus tried his best to appear interested in what was mostly a one-sided conversation with Lieutenant Lyste. The two men sat in a small, easily looked-over caf shop near the Chimaera’s commissary. He watched Lyste take a small swig from his almost empty caf mug before glancing down at his own untouched, lukewarm dark brew.

                “Yes,” Lyste set his mug down. “I’m not sure when I’ll be stationed, but I know my assignment will be patrolling over Lothal.”

                “Well, that is quite the step up,” Kallus said. “Imperial light cruiser, I’m assuming?”

                “It is,” Lyste answered.

                “Ah…” Kallus trailed off. Though he could clearly see the pride on Lyste’s face, he could also see an underlining sense of reluctance, almost like he was sad to be leaving. He immediately knew why. “So, how does your girlfriend feel about this new promotion?”

                Lyste flushed, averting his eyes. “Oh, El—Commander Rizzo. Yes, well…I haven’t told her yet. She’s been dreadfully busy this week…I haven’t even gotten the chance to see her yet.”

                _Oh yes, ‘busy,’_ Kallus thought. _The poor chap has no clue._ He couldn’t help the small chuckle in the back of his throat.

                “What is it?” The small sound hadn’t escaped Lyste’s ears.

                Without so much as stammering, Kallus answered, “You haven’t told her how you really feel, have you?”

                Lyste averted his gaze again. “Well…no.” Kallus watched his youthful face bloom red once more. The poor boy was so young and naïve, Kallus was almost jealous of his comical situation. What he would give to be worried over some silly girl’s feelings rather than the possible discovery of his traitorous actions against the Empire.

                Lyste continued, “But I’m supposed to patrol only three days a week and then work with supplies on the _Chimaera_ for the other two days. I’ll still be able to see her.”

                Before Kallus could reply, he felt a vibration from his datapad. Once he opened up the message, he had to read it three times before it sunk in.

 

                **| NEW ORDER ASSIGNMENT FOR: ISB-021 (ALEXSANDR KALLUS)**

**| Report to Commander Center B1 immediately. You have been given command over a new assignment administered by Grand Admiral Thrawn.**

                “What?” he whispered to himself.

                “Is everything alright?” Lyste asked.

                Kallus stood, leaving his untouched caf on the table. “Yes. It says I’m to report to one of the command centers.” He clicked his datapad off and turned towards the door. “We’ll need to finish our conversation later.” And after giving a hasty congratulations to his young coworker, he dashed out the caf shop door.

~ ▪ ~

                “Agent Kallus, you’ve arrived.” A young ensign greeted Kallus as he walked through the command center’s doors.

                “I have…” Kallus glanced around with a crinkled brow. The commander centers had the same set up as a Star Destroyer bridge, only much smaller. At least a dozen ensigns and lieutenants were seated around the room, all busy working the computers and machinery. Kallus turned back to the ensign, “I regret to say that I was not informed of this…new assignment.”

                If the ensign was surprised, he didn’t show it. “Not a problem, sir.” Kallus followed the ensign to the command center’s window, which had a perfect view of the _Judicator_ , another ship in the Seventh Fleet.

                “Admiral Thrawn recently received about a hundred recon droids and wishes to utilize them in finding rebel bases in the Outer Rim.” Kallus could feel his blood pressure rising, but kept listening intently. “The _Judicator_ is handling and deploying the droids, who each have their own assigned planet to scout.”

                The ensign went on to explain how once the droids had enough sufficient data, they would report back to the _Judicator_ with their findings. If the planet they scouted came back clean of rebel activity, they would be sent off to another planet until the rebel base was finally found. Kallus’s heart was racing by the time the ensign finished his explanation.

                “The first wave was deployed yesterday, and few have already reported back in,” the ensign said.

                “What?” Kallus said a little too fiercely, causing the young officer to flinch. The droids were deployed _yesterday?_ And he was _just now_ put in charge? What the hell was going on? Kallus rubbed his forehead to try and calm down. “Can you please explain to me _why_ I am just now being informed of this? And also why I was _just now_ put in charge of this project?”

                “The officer who was supposed to lead the project had taken ill, sir,” the ensign answered. “Admiral Thrawn thought you would be the next best fit to lead.”

                That last sentence had put a bad taste in Kallus’s mouth. Ever since the incident at the factory on Lothal a week ago, he couldn’t help but feel as though he was on Thrawn’s suspect list of traitors. Whether it was true fact or just his own paranoia, he wasn’t sure. But what he was sure about was just how tense and delicate this situation had just become. He watched out the window and saw a few podships fly out of the _Judicator’s_ belly and jump to hyperspace. Already there were at most a hundred probe droids out in the Outer Rim, and one of them could have possibly landed on whatever planet the rebels were hiding on.

                He needed to warn the rebels. Closing his eyes, he silently cursed. All his Fulcrum communication equipment was back at the abandoned communications tower on Lothal. There was no way he could take a transport down to Capital City without looking suspicious. He was trapped on the _Chimaera_ , in charge of a project that he had had no knowledge of only minutes ago.

                “Is everything ok, sir?” the ensign asked.

                Kallus stayed as calm as possible. “Yes…I just need to use the refresher real quick.” He was already halfway out the door when he said, “I’ll be back soon.”

                He walked briskly away in the direction of his personal quarters, which were not too far away. His only option was to contact the rebels with one of the _Chimaera’s_ communications ports. He wasn’t stupid enough to use the ones closest to his command center—his paranoia wouldn’t allow it. _No doubt Thrawn might be monitoring all the public ones until his traitor is caught…_

                He reached his room much faster than he had thought. Closing the door behind him, he approached his room’s personal communications port. It was his only hope. He knew for a fact that public ports had a much higher chance of being monitored than personal ones. And his position as an ISB agent had taught him all kinds of neat little tricks to mask a transmission’s signature and even its trajectory coordinates—just in case Thrawn decided to monitor _all_ ports, which was not outside the realm of possibilities.

                It only took him a second to cloak the transmission’s signal and pathway. Even if the Empire managed to capture the transmission’s wave lengths and listen to it, they wouldn’t know it even originated from the _Chimaera_ or even from an imperial communications port.

                With a quiet yet hurried voice, he spoke into the transmission port and beamed out his warning to the proper coordinates.

~ ▪ ~

                “Do you think he’ll realize he’s been set up?” Elena asked from her spot at Thrawn’s desk. She was just about done contacting all the officers Thrawn wished to interview.

                “Perhaps, though unlikely,” Thrawn answered. “I’m having him believe that he’s filling the role of an officer who has taken ill.” His red eyes were glued to the holomap of planets floating above his desk. Ever since the first wave of droids deployed, he kept close tabs on any small bits of information that came from the _Judicator_.

                “We have an interview with Commander Titus, Captain Brunson, and Captain Orin in two days,” she said as she looked up from her datapad screen. Thrawn still had his eyes on the map, monitoring any updates or signs of change. “Anything new from the droids?”

                “Currently, sixty-two droids are out in the field surveying these worlds,” he gestured towards the planets highlighted in red. “Thirty-eight have returned and their data will soon be processed. They’ll soon receive their new assigned worlds and will leave promptly.” To her surprise, he shut off the holomap and stepped around his desk. “We’ll need to be patient until something of interest is reported, however.”

                “I’ve finished contacting all the officers you wish to interview,” Elena said.

                “Wonderful, my dear,” Thrawn said as she stood up. “Until we’re informed of anything new with our droid project, would you perhaps want to spend this open time we have together?”

                Elena blushed, fairly certain at what he was hinting at. “What do you have in mind?”

                “I’ve noticed that you take a liking to exercise in your spare time,” he said. “Have you ever considered sparring?”

                A laugh nearly escaped her lips. He seemed to have something much different in mind than she did. “Oh…sparring. I admit I’ve never tried it. Would we be fighting against your sentry droids?”

                “Yes, and I can teach you the basic stances and moves.” They had started walking over towards his private training room, which sat across from his private quarters and adjacent to his office. “I thought that since you had an encounter with Ezra Bridger, it would benefit you to learn basic hand-to-hand combat.” The training room door opened, and Thrawn laid his datapad near the entrance just in case any new updates came up.

                Once they stepped inside the training room, Elena immediately crossed her arms at the change in temperature. She knew Thrawn preferred colder environments, but the stark white room seemed so much colder than the rest of his quarters.

                But despite the chill, a blush warmed up her face as she watched Thrawn, who was quite unbothered by the cold, immediately shed his grand admiral tunic. She continued to stare as he peeled away the white fabric, revealing a tight black undershirt beneath. Chords of defined muscle lined his powerful blue arms, and Elena could see just how powerful his back and chest were through the undershirt. Though she had seen him many times without his uniform or clothes, seeing him like this still sent a thrill through her.

                “Enjoying the view?” he teased in his calm, deep voice. Elena could feel the heat on her face, and she smirked back in response.

                She soon joined him and removed her own top—which had earned a brief, yet hungry, look from Thrawn—and stood in only her purple tank top, pants, and boots. As soon as she was ready, Thrawn walked over to the wall where he kept his weapons, grabbed two staffs, and handed one to her.

                “Shall we begin?”

~ ▪ ~

                It hadn’t taken Kallus as long as he thought to beam out his encrypted warning. He had since returned to the command room and had stood there monitoring the _Judicator_. A couple of podships had reported back in and made their way up into the Destroyer’s hangar. Every so often a couple of ships would exit the ship and jump to hyperspace, off to survey their next assigned planets.

                He checked his datapad. Already forty droids had returned and their data was being uploaded into the _Judicator’s_ system. All he could do was hope that none of those droids had visited whatever planet Phoenix Squadron was calling home.

                Though it would only be a matter time, unless his warning had successfully reached them and they were preparing accordingly.

                As he continued to stare out at the stars in thought, the young ensign stepped up behind him. "Agent Kallus," he said. "We've lost contact with one of our infiltrators. It hasn't reported in."

                Kallus turned his head. "What was its last known location?"

                "The droid never transmitted its coordinates, so we don't know. Should we alert command?"

                "If we chase down every temporary comm failure, we'd have little time to do anything else. If there's still no contact by next cycle, we'll follow up." He turned his head back to the _Judicator_. "For now, we wait."

~ ▪ ~

                “I don’t know,” Zeb said. “It doesn’t look imperial to me.” He lifted the unresponsive droid off a cluster of dead spiders and laid it down. Night had fallen over Atollon not too long ago, and they were about a mile outside of camp, but that hadn’t stopped Zeb and Chopper from investigating the mysterious activity picked up by the base’s surveyors. With Hera and the team gone for the day, it had been left up to him, Chopper, and AP-5 to keep the base safe. “We should take it back to base, see if we can figure out where it came from.”

                “Nooo,” Chopper beeped grumpily. “We should scrap it.”

                “Ha, figures _you_ would want to trash it,” Zeb said as he lifted the droid off the ground and slung it over his shoulder. “Well, I suppose since Hera left _you_ in charge…Oh wait. She didn’t.”

                Chopper groaned. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” he said as he followed Zeb back to base.

~ ▪ ~

                “ _What_ is _that_ …?” AP-5 hobbled over to Chopper and Zeb, who had just laid the blue droid down on one of the base’s supply crates.

                “Chopper and I found it out in the wasteland. We were hoping you could identify it.” Zeb said.

                “Hmm…” AP-5 ran a scan over the droid. “It looks like an older model of some kind of protocol droid.” AP-5 grabbed the nearest power charger in the area. “This should be enough power for a system restart. Maybe then we can learn more about it.”

                After a few seconds of charging, the droid’s eyes started to glow, and it stood up. “Designation, unknown,” it said as it took a few steps around the base.

                “Its memory systems are damaged…” AP-5 said.

                The droid continued to walk around the base, spewing out the names and information of any object its sensors could pick up.

                “Sir.” Zeb turned to see one of the rebel lieutenants walk out of the command center. “We have a message from an unknown sender.”

                Zeb crinkled a brow and followed him to the main communications port.

                “Let's hear it,” Zeb said, with a tinge of hesitance in his voice. The transmission port gave a faint glow, and the message started to play.

                “This is Fulcrum. I hope this message has reached you safely. I regret to inform that I was not able to transmit this message via my usual means, but that I have very important and time sensitive information.” A blueprint then appeared above the port, showing a deadly looking droid in attack mode. “The Empire has begun to deploy recon droids. These infiltrators sweep the Outer Rim worlds for rebel bases. They are extremely dangerous, but can appear harmless while in protocol mode." And right on cue, the blueprint image changed from the infiltrator in attack mode to that of a harmless protocol droid. "One recently failed to report in. Be advised. If the droid remains out of contact, the Empire _will_ come after it, and soon. Fulcrum out."

                Aghast, Zeb backed away from the port. “Oh no…” he mumbled as he turned his head towards the blue droid.

                But he had been too late. Either the droid remembered its purpose or AP-5 had said something to set it off, but the droid was already transitioning into its offensive mode.

                And after about thirty minutes of chasing it down and avoiding its deadly arms and blasters, Zeb finally had it pinned to the ground. 

~ ▪ ~

                “Shut it down!” Zeb yelled. He sat on top of the droid, who was relentlessly squirming beneath him.

                “Hold it steady,” AP-5 said as he calmly walked over to the droid.

                “I’m trying!” Zeb grunted.

                “Stand by,” AP-5 said as he worked something on the back of the droids head.

                “Stand by?!” Zeb yelled in frustration. After only a second, AP-5 had the droid powered off. But their victory had only lasted a second, because turning off the droid appeared to have triggered some sort of timer on the droid’s chest.

                “Why’s it doing that?” Zeb asked, exasperated.

                “Most likely it has activated its imperial anti-capture system. I believe there must be some sort of proton war head inside it.”

                “That could vaporize the whole base…” Zeb said. “We need to stop the countdown!”

                Thinking fast, Chopper rolled up and sprayed a freezing fluid on it, stopping the countdown.

                “Ah, good job Chopper.” AP-5 said. “He’s temporarily frozen the countdown. That should buy us some time to get it safely off base before the bomb detonates,” he explained to Zeb.

                “Wait…” Zeb said. “Fulcrum said that if the droid fails to report in, the Empire will come here looking for it…”

                “I won’t be able to disable the war head or erase its memory,” AP-5 said. “That will likely trigger the detonation.”

                Zeb narrowed his eyes at a new idea. “What if we sent it back to the Empire still ticking?” He turned back to AP-5. “Can you make an adjustment to the warhead, set it to restart the countdown when the droid reconnects to the imperial network? That way, when it returns to its base, it’ll blow up before it can upload any data. Maybe it’ll take a few of those droids with it…then they’ll never know which one it was.”

                AP-5 continued to stare at Zeb, who was starting to get irritated. “Well? Can you do it or not!?” Zeb asked.

                “Yes, I can. Or I can at least try,” AP-5 finally answered. “Sorry for my delayed response, I was just rather stunned by the fact that you had a good idea.” His sardonic comment earned an eyeroll from Zeb and a laugh from Chopper.

                “Oh just get on with it…” Zeb said.

                After making the proper adjustments and reverting it back to protocol mode, AP-5 restarted the droid, who began making its way back to its ship. Zeb, AP-5, and Chopper followed it the entire way back, and watched as it entered its ship and leave Atollon.

~ ▪ ~

                Thrawn spent a good half-hour teaching the basics to Elena, and he insisted that she practice her new moves on him.

                Though she had caught on quickly, she still felt like a flea compared to how much more skilled and stronger he was than her. She could tell just how much he was holding back, trying his hardest not to hurt her. He definitely didn’t need to worry about her hurting him, though. He defended himself expertly, dodging and ducking from every one of her moves like child’s play. Despite his tall stature, Thrawn was very quick.

                In her defense, though, their sparring lesson could have been a lot easier for her if she were using her Force abilities. But she still could not conjure up the courage to sit down and tell him about her unusual, freakish powers. And right there in the training room in the midst of a crucial rebel base-hunting investigation hardly seemed like the appropriate time to do so.

                She swung her staff to the left, finally mastering the last defensive move she had been struggling with.

                “Excellent, my dear,” Thrawn said. “You have a natural talent for the art. We will however…” he adjusted her hands back to the correct position on the staff, “Need to break you of that habit.”

                Oddly enough when Thrawn began teaching her, Elena found herself inclined to hold the staff almost like a sword. Several times during their lesson, she found that her left hand would absentmindedly move down the staff near her right hand, and she even used it like a sword to block some of Thrawn’s surprise attacks a couple of times. She didn’t have an explanation or even a theory for the strange habit, but hopefully she would break it soon.

                “Would you like to try your own against one of the sentry droids?” he asked.

                She turned her head to the two powered-off droids against the far wall. They stood even taller than Thrawn, with huge, intimidating chest plates and even more intimidating faces. She had watched Thrawn battle against them hand-to-hand before, but she wasn’t sure if she had enough strength the fight even just one. He seemed to be quite impressed with her progress already, and she didn’t want to disappoint him by backing down. Maybe just one droid wouldn’t be as hard as she thought. “I’ll give it a try,” she said.

                He positioned her in the middle of the room and soon had one of the droids activated. The hulking monstrosity emerged from its slumber a stomped menacingly towards her, its red eyes glowing with anger and purpose.

                It hadn’t taken Elena long to figure out that Thrawn had only made it look easy. Though she managed to strike a few blows to the droid, it still had her backing up into a corner in mere minutes. As it kept inching closer, she found it increasingly harder to recall some of the moves Thrawn had taught her, and soon her mind had unknowingly diverted back to a dark memory.

                Instead of the safety of Thrawn’s training room, she found herself back on Coruscant, backed up against the alleyway wall in that dirty neighborhood in Sector G-17. Instead of the sentry droid, she saw one of those low-life Weequay men slowly stalking towards her, his nasty smoke-filled breath invading her nostrils. She could feel the wall behind her and wanted nothing more than to scream, but her own terror caused the sound to die in her throat.

                The droid ripped the staff out of her hands, and she pressed her back up against the wall. A tight ball of fear and panic brewed in her gut as she realized she only had her hands left to defend herself. She knew she would have to push it back just hard enough to make an opening to escape. In that moment, she had no thoughts of controlling the mysterious energy swirling inside her, only thoughts of escape and survival. She closed her eyes and raised her arms; and with pure fear, flung them forward in an effort to push the droid away.

                But she had never felt her hands make contact with the droid’s cold metal body. With her arms still outstretched, she opened her eyes, and gasped.

                The droid had been blown back all the way to the opposite side of the room and now laid deactivated on the floor. Gray scuff marks and dents marred the wall where it had crashed, a testimony to just how powerful Elena’s Force push had been. But what truly horrified her was not the damage she had inflicted on Thrawn’s wall, but the look of genuine shock and fear he had on his face.

                He stood very close to her. He must have been running over to deactivate the droid right before she blew it back. She had never seen him look so expressive before, and something about it truly worried her.

                “…How did you do that?” he finally asked.

                She looked down at her hands, shocked by her own power. This was not a conversation she had been prepared for. “Thrawn…I…”

                “You’re a Force-user,” he said. His shock had abated, but was soon replaced with worry.

                “It wasn’t that long ago that I discovered this, I swear,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even believe in this sort of thing until these powers started to manifest. I had no idea what it was, and what I was capable of was nowhere near what just happened…I…I had every intention of telling you, I swear. I just didn’t know how to bring it up. I thought you would think I was insane, or…”

                “My dear,” he rested a hand on her shoulder, cutting off her hurried explanation. “I would never think such things of you. I know of the Force, you know that.”

                “I…I know, it’s just...I wasn’t sure how to bring it up to you.”

                His worried expression hadn’t changed. “Other than myself, is there anyone else who knows of your Force powers?”

                Her heart sank as she remembered the incident back on Lothal. “Yes…Ezra Bridger does.”

                Thrawn’s worried expression transformed into the same cold and calculating frown he wore whenever studying an enemy. “That may not be a problem, however…”

                Her heart started to thunder again. “Why? Why would it be a problem?”

                His expression turned grim. “You must not allow anyone else to discover your connection to the Force, especially not an imperial.”

                “Why?” she persisted.

                “Because they will take you away, my dear. You’ll be sent to Coruscant and given over to the Emperor.”

                The back of her eyes started to sting as tears began to form. “What will happen to me?”

                But before Thrawn could answer, an anxious beeping erupted from his datapad, and the two hurried over to the door. He glanced down, and she watched his features grow more and more angry by the second.

                She dried a tear that had broken free. “What happened?”

                Thrawn exhaled. “One of our infiltrator’s proton bombs has detonated, and the _Judicator_ has been destroyed, along with all the data captured by the other droids.”

                Elena’s mouth dropped. “So everything—all of our progress, is gone?”

                “Perhaps, perhaps not,” Thrawn answered. His anger had ebbed into a small grin as he glanced down at his datapad.

                Without a second to waste, the two changed back into their uniforms and made their way to the bridge.

~ ▪ ~

                Kallus turned his head at the sound of a violent, distant explosion and nearly gasped. The _Judicator_ had been obliterated, smoke and fire protruding from what was left of the ship’s hangar.

                " _What. Just. Happened_?!" he turned back to the ensign. "Report!" he yelled.

                "I believe it was a proton war head detonation, sir.”

                Kallus turned back to look at the destruction, and a small grin started to work its way across his face. It had to be the rebels’ ingenuity, no doubt. They had gotten his message, and now their base would remain safe for one more day.

                Once he could find a chance to fly down to Lothal, he would need to beam out a message of congratulations to them.

                But until then, he would need to handle this situation, and according to his datapad, report to Thrawn immediately.

~ ▪ ~

                After about a fifteen minute journey to the bridge, Kallus found Thrawn and Commander Rizzo standing in front a holoport, busy studying their map of potential rebel base locations. Thrawn was clearly angry, and Kallus had to try very hard to keep a grin suppressed. He briefly glanced over to Commander Rizzo, who didn’t so much as acknowledge his presence. The sad look in her eyes told him that, mentally, she was a thousand miles away. A frown marred her otherwise pretty face, and she looked as though she had been crying.

                Thrawn noticed his arrival, and shot his livid red eyes up to Kallus’s face. "How did this happen, Agent Kallus?"

                "I suspect the rebels captured a unit in the field and reprogrammed it to self-destruct on its return to base. Quite ingenious, really…" Kallus answered.

                "I'm inclined to agree," Thrawn said, his voice void of anger. He turned his eyes back to his map, and Kallus noticed the obvious change in expression. A smirk started to form on the Grand Admiral’s face, and his eyes reflected unspoken knowledge. Kallus’s heart started to hammer. Not only had he lost a Star Destroyer, but also _all_ of the data recorded by his droids. What the hell could he possibly be smiling about?

                "You seem in surprisingly good spirits considering this loss," Kallus said, almost afraid of Thrawn’s response.

                "Loss, you say?" Thrawn raised a brow as he brought those unsettling red eyes back up to Kallus. "The rebels may have protected the location of their base for now, but in doing so they have narrowed my search." A simple press of a button on the holoport was enough to send panic coursing through Kallus’s veins. Before, Thrawn’s map displayed hundreds of small dots, each representing a system of planets scattered throughout the Outer Rim. Now only ninety-four planets floated above the holoport, and it took Kallus everything he had to keep a straight face. The bastard had been tracking which planets had been visited before the explosion happened. Kallus’s mouth went dry; he should have known Thrawn would be so thorough. "Before today, they could have been hiding in any of the thousand systems. But now…now I _know_ they are almost certainly on one of the ninety-four planets surveyed by my infiltrators. The rebels have won this battle, but the war _will_ be ours.”

~ ▪ ~

                Elena watched from Thrawn’s side as he and Kallus discussed damage reports regarding the _Judicator_. She watched Kallus’s face intently as they spoke, looking for even the slightest betrayal in his expression.

                If Kallus was a traitor, he was a damn good actor. Other than mild surprise—which would have been an expected reaction—at the fact that Thrawn had kept tabs on which planets were visited, Kallus kept a straight face during the entire conversation. Not even the slightest twitch of a muscle betrayed what true motives might lay beneath.

                Or maybe she just wasn’t looking hard enough, too busy wrapped up in her own mind about what had just happened mere minutes ago. She should have been overjoyed with the progress they had made that day, but grief and anxiety were all that coursed through her now.

                Though relieved that Thrawn was not angry with her about keeping her powers a secret from him, his warning from earlier still rang in her head.

_You must not allow anyone else to discover your connection to the Force, especially not an imperial._

                Or she’d be shipped off to Coruscant and handed over to the Emperor. She grasped her left wrist tightly, desperate for any sort of outlet for her worry. Judging by the look Thrawn had had on his face, she just knew the Emperor would have her executed for her abilities, just like he had executed the Jedi people. There couldn’t be any other explanation as to why.

                Thrawn had told her they would finish their discussion as soon as the _Judicator_ incident was handled, but a large part of her was not looking forward to it at all.

                She wanted to hide away, go back in time to when she didn’t know about these kriffing Force powers. They were too much trouble than they were worth, and the fact that she couldn’t just shed them away like an unwanted piece of clothing only made her more morose.

                All she wanted to do right now was hole-up in her room and comm her best friend, who she had not spoken to in almost two weeks. Now that the project was over, maybe her transmission port wouldn’t run the risk of being monitored, and she and Janali could speak freely.

                She exhaled, feeling so stupid for just now realizing. Maybe Janali knew about the Force and Jedi, and it had just never came up as a topic of discussion between them. All of their conversations never seem to veer off in that direction, anyway.

                Tomorrow would be her off-day, and she had every intention of comming her friend and asking.

~ ▪ ~

                 Janali had never seen so many officers in one place before. In her place in line, she could see endless rows of imperials stretched in front and behind her in the _Bloodhawk’s_ hangar bay. What sort of inspection required nearly every single member of the ship's personnel to be present?

                Once word about a personnel and ship inspection had spread across Janali’s assigned Star Destroyer, she had done enough eavesdropping to learn that those listed for inspection were apparently chosen at random, but that among those chosen had been every woman aboard the ship. And oddly enough, every woman aboard the previously inspected Star Destroyer had been included in the randomized inspection list as well.

 _Just what kind of inspection officer will we be dealing with?_ Janali wondered from her spot in formation. She knew it would be a uniform inspection, and prepared accordingly, hating every minute of it. Surrounded daily by bland, cookie-cutter imperials, she cherished her uniqueness, even going as far as breaking uniform protocol. Most days she wore her raven-black hair down to her waist when she could find the chance. Now it was pinned back into a tight and austere bun, just like the other women she saw scattered around in the lines.

                "Attention!" yelled Commodore Moran. All of the _Bloodhawk’s_ commanding officers stood at the front, backs against the force-field protecting them from open space. When he spoke again, his voice echoed all over the hangar. "In a few short minutes, this ship will be visited by a member of Imperial High Command. Remain as you are, facing forward with your hands to your side. Am I clear?"

                "Yes, sir!" she heard a thousand simultaneous voices say. Her heart raced a little faster. Imperial High Command? Why would someone _that_ important being doing a ship inspection?

                Just a second after her thought, a transport ship penetrated the force-field and landed in the only unoccupied space at the front of the hangar. Was it Grand Moff Tarkin? Surely someone of his importance wouldn’t waste his time with a stupid inspection.

                She soon had her answer as a black-clad figure sauntered down the transport ship’s ramp, and her heart contricted.

_…Darth Vader?_

                The Emperor’s right-hand man stopped directly in front of the first row of personnel. The entire hangar stood deathly quiet, its silence fractured only by the blood-chilling sound of his breathing apparatus.

                 Janali’s heart thundered. Maybe this wasn’t a ship inspection at all. From the rumors Janali had heard about him on the _Bloodhawk_ , Darth Vader seemed to be much more interested in doling out punishments rather than inspecting imperial ships and their crew members.

                "Welcome, Lord Vader," said Commodore Moran. "We've assembled the selected crewmen for inspection.”

                "Excellent, Commodore," Vader said. His voice was every bit as menacing as Janali thought it would be. "Now we’ll begin with the inspection.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Vader has FINALLY showed up. That can't be good though...
> 
> Also, do you guys have any Elena/Kanan theories? I'd love to hear what you guys are thinking XD
> 
> Warning: Rebels Season 4 SPOILERS below, read at your own risk:
> 
> Also, unpopular opinion: am I the only one who thinks the Loth-wolves are stupid? I can't stand them. I think they're so poorly written and cheesy. What do you guys think?


	20. Deadly Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As tensions rise aboard the Chimaera, Kallus allows his fears to spiral him out of control, and he turns to alcohol as an escape. Sensing that Kallus could be in danger, the rebels devise a plan to extract him out of the Empire. Elena and Kallus have a heated confrontation. Meanwhile, Kanan Jarrus seeks the Bendu for more answers.

                “ _Darth Vader_?” Elena crinkled her brow. “What kind of name is _that_?”

                “I don’t know…” Janali shook her holographic head. Their greetings hadn’t lasted more than a minute before Janali launched into her story of yesterday’s inspection. Elena could tell it wouldn’t be a pleasant one by the way it made her friend’s usual bright eyes and smile fade away.

                “So how did it go?” Elena asked.

                “Bizarre…” her friend answered. She shook her head, her brows turned up at the middle. “All he did was walk down the lines and glance around at us.”

                “Sounds like he didn’t really care about it,” Elena commented.

                The worried look in Janali’s eyes didn’t vanish. “That’s not it though...” she exhaled. “He had stopped somewhere half way down the lines and turned towards an ensign not standing too far from where I was. He stood there for a long time, just…looking at the guy. His uniform was fine, but…Vader still commanded him to step out of line and to wait by his ship for further questioning. The ensign was terrified, to say the least…”

                Elena raised a brow, and tendrils of fear started to creep into her chest. Curious, but equally afraid of the answer, she asked, “What happened to the ensign?”

                “I don’t know,” Janali answered with wide eyes. “Elena, he’s gone. No one has seen or heard from him since the inspection.”

                “Do you think this Darth Vader took him?”

                “That’s the only conclusion I can make of it.”

                “That makes no sense…” Elena shook her head.

                “I’m stunned though,” Janali said, pulling Elena’s attention back to her hologram. “You’ve never heard of Darth Vader before?”

                “No,” Elena said. “And after what you’ve told me, I hope the _Chimaera_ isn’t on his inspection list…” she feigned a shudder. “Who is he?”

                “He’s the Emperor’s right-hand man. At least…I _think_ he’s a man…” she trailed off.

                “You _think_?” Elena asked with an upturned brow.

                “Well, it’s hard to tell under all that black armor he wears. Honestly, he could be a droid for all we know. And don’t get started on that mask…”

                Elena frowned. “Mask?”

                “Like the armor, he wears it all the time, and it covers his entire head. It has bug eyes and a mouth piece with some sort of breathing apparatus. It’s quite…frightening.”

                Elena looked away as an image from that intense nightmare she had had weeks ago conjured up in her mind. The monster in her dream had worn a black mask and full-body armor. She could still see the creature’s bug-like eyes boring into hers, could still hear the sharp, deafening sound of its breathing. She shook the image away.

                “Everything ok?” Janali asked.

                “Uh…yeah,” Elena said. “I was just…” A ping from her datapad cut her off. She glanced at the message and then turned back to Janali. “I’m sorry Jan, but I’ve got to go. Something urgent has come up.”

                “No worries,” her friend answered. “Good bye, love. Talk to you soon.”

                As soon as the transmission clicked off, Elena gave a long sigh, slightly relieved that their conversation had been cut short. After yesterday’s incident with the _Judicator_ , she had had every intention of asking Janali what she knew about the Force and Jedi. But that was before Thrawn took her back to his office and finished telling her how imperative it was that she keep her Force abilities secret. According to him, she could not trust any imperial, not even her closest friend. One betrayal or accidental slip would be all it would take to land her in the clutches of the Emperor, who Thrawn believed would either execute her or turn her into a murderous warrior. It had sickened her to think about the possibility of being discovered, and even more so about how many times she had foolishly put herself in danger of being exposed. All those hours spent training with her powers in the workout room—anyone could have walked in and saw. And what if she had betrayed herself to someone other than Thrawn?

                Suppressing a shudder, she got up from her bed with her datapad in hand. She couldn’t allow herself to sink back into those frightful thoughts. It would get her nowhere. Looking back down at the message on her screen, she strode off to Thrawn’s office, and soon discovered why her summons had been so urgent.

                The victorious smirk on Thrawn’s face was enough to tell her that he had discovered something critical. He stepped out from behind his desk and activated his holoport, and soon the office was filled with the hurried tone of a deep, garbled voice.

                “ _This is Fulcrum. I hope this message has reached you safely. I regret to inform that I was not able to transmit this message via my usual means, but that I have very important and time sensitive information. The Empire has begun to deploy recon droids. These infiltrators sweep the Outer Rim worlds for rebel bases. They are extremely dangerous, but can appear harmless while in protocol mode. One recently failed to report in. Be advised. If the droid remains out of contact, the Empire will come after it, and soon. Fulcrum out."_

Elena’s jaw dropped.

                Thrawn calmly shut off the port and stepped towards her.

                “ _Fulcrum_?” she said as she turned to look at him.

                “A codename, by the sound of it,” he answered coolly. “The team over in the communications sector captured this transmission yesterday.”

                “Well, that certainly explains why the rebels had been so successful this time around. Who sent it?” she asked hurriedly. “Did it beam from this ship?”

                Thrawn glared. “No one has been able to trace the message’s origins or even its trajectory path, meaning our traitor is skilled with hijacking standard communication devices. And judging by their knowledge of my droid project and by the contents of their message, I have no doubt our traitor is stationed within the Seventh Fleet, perhaps even aboard my ship.”

                Her eyes turned hard. “ _Kallus_ is stationed aboard your ship.”

                “He is, my dear,” Thrawn said with deadly calm. “And I also have no doubt it was he who sent this message.”

                Elena grimaced. “Still, it’s not enough to accuse him since he masked the transmission’s origins…”

                “That _is_ true, but this has told me everything I need to know in order to plan my next move and finally unmask him.”

                “What do you have in mind?” Elena asked.

                Thrawn smirked again, his eyes full of confident victory. “Tomorrow we will interview our first batch of officers, informing each of them about the traitor within our ranks and question them thoroughly about their encounters with Phoenix Squadron.”

                Elena checked her datapad. “Yes, we have three scheduled for tomorrow, and Colonel Yularen has informed me that he’ll arrive at 0800 hours tomorrow morning, just in time for the first one.”

                “Do we have any interview time slots that have not been filled?”

                Elena scrolled through the schedule. “Every one of them is filled except for one session three days from now. Admiral Konstantine is the only one scheduled for that time.”

                “Excellent,” Thrawn smirked. “Put down Kallus and your friend Lieutenant Lyste for the remaining two spaces.”

                With a quizzical look, she did as she was told, but not without question. “Why Lyste?”

                “He has had numerous encounters with Phoenix Squadron in the past two years and merits questioning. But I have found another use for having him included.” Thrawn pressed something on one of his desk’s screens, and Lyste’s profile appeared above. “In order to keep Kallus as uninformed as possible about these interviews, I need him off of this ship. I have recently noted that Lyste has been given command over a star cruiser and now assists with patrolling Lothal’s skies. Tomorrow I will have Kallus transferred to Lyste’s ship, and will summon both men at the same time for their interview.”

                Elena nodded in understanding. With Kallus off the Chimaera, he wouldn’t be able to snoop around and learn about the interviews taking place. And she knew Lyste had no idea about the interviews either and wouldn’t be able to warn Kallus. That way, he would be caught completely off guard by the information she and Thrawn had learned. Perhaps hearing his own codename spoken aloud would be enough to stir even the slightest bit of surprise on his face. But yet…

                “Why _Lyste’s_ ship though?” she asked.

                “Quite simply because Lyste’s star cruiser would be too small for Kallus to sneak away and contact the rebels without being overly obvious. And with Lyste’s inexperience, I’m sure Kallus will find his time mostly devoted to assisting his young cohort rather than attempting to make illicit contact with the enemy.”

                “Though I’m certain he will attempt that once his interview is over…” Elena commented. “Judging by the incident with the _Judicator_ , he’s proven to us that he’s willing to make reckless decisions in order to get a message out quickly.”

                “Precisely, my dear,” Thrawn turned to her. “I believe that will be exactly what he’ll do after his interview. Which is why I will have the _Chimaera’s_ communications staff monitor every single transmission the day of our meeting.”

                Elena felt more confident than ever about their plan. Soon they’d have Kallus backed into a corner and would use him against the rebels, perhaps even find the location of their base in the process. Though Elena wanted nothing more than to have the bastard removed from the ship—permanently—so that she could finally have peace of mind about her and Thrawn’s nightly trysts. She hated how Kallus always seemed to be snooping around the area, and it had started to worry her.

                But tonight she wouldn’t worry. Tonight she would indulge herself in her favorite distraction: dinner, wine, and a romantic evening with Thrawn. With all the insanity of the Force and its consequences swirling around in her mind, she could think of no better remedy.

                As she returned to her room, she tried to finish her Ryloth watercolor to pass the time, but instead found herself counting down the minutes until she could see Thrawn again.

~ ▪ ~

                “Finally…” Zeb muttered as he watched the _Ghost_ make its descent. He had wasted no time in contacting Hera after last night’s fight with the recon droid.

                Once the ship’s ramp lowered, Hera walked over to Zeb, her face a mix of mild concern and annoyance. “Ok, what happened that you called me back on _day one_ of the exercise?”

                “Well, it _may_ be nothing…” Zeb hesitated. “We, uh, we _think_ we got it all under control, but…just in case…”

                “Incoming message: priority,” a voice said over a loudspeaker.

                Hera’s attention immediately turned from Zeb to the communications center. “Hold that thought,” she told Zeb. The team made their way over to the base’s comm port, where a message from Fulcrum lay waiting for them:

                "I can only assume you found _and_ reprogrammed the lost infiltrator I warned you of. Well, as you no doubt planned, the droid _did_ self-destruct on its return to base. I don't know how you pulled it off, but you have my congratulations. Fulcrum out.”

                “Uh, what was _that_ about?” Sabine turned to Zeb.

                “Uh…” Zeb said with a nervous chuckle, “It’s kind of a long story…”

                As Zeb and AP-5 recounted the incident, he watched as his friends’ faces contorted from mild annoyance into fear and worry. Hera praised Zeb, AP-5, and Chopper for their quick thinking, but was curious to know more.

                “Were there any other Fulcrum messages while we were gone?” she asked.

                “Yeah, this one.” Zeb played back the message he had received yesterday afternoon, but Hera’s expression only grew more concerned.

                “That worries me…” she muttered.

                “Why? His message still came through,” Zeb said.

                “Yes, but…if he wasn’t able to transmit this message via his usual way, that could only mean he had to use a less secure option, especially if he was worried about the message reaching us safely.”

                “You don’t think he would’ve been reckless enough to use an imperial port, do you?” Kanan asked Hera.

                “Oh no…” Sabine said. She immediately walked over to the port, and started typing away on the screens. “But if he did…that could mean the Empire might have been listening in. It’s much easier for them to pick up on their own transmissions than outside ones…”

                “What are you doing?” Ezra asked.

                “I’m looking up the details about the transmission Zeb had heard. Oh…” Sabine turned. “So he _was_ smart enough to hide the message’s signature and trajectory. So it _had_ to have been an imperial port he was using if he went to all this trouble.”

                “Is there anything else you can find out about the message?” Hera asked.

                She stayed silent for a few seconds as she worked away on the screens. “There’s only method to see if anyone was possibly listening in…” her eyes went dark. “No…”

                “What?” Ezra pressed.

                “The wave lengths of this message were captured at two points…one of them being our transmission port, and the other—judging by the coordinates—being somewhere out near Lothal…”

                “Thrawn’s fleet is stationed somewhere near Lothal…the Empire _did_ capture the transmission…” Hera said grimly.

                “And it’s quite possible they had listened to it…Kallus only encrypted the signature and trajectory points, not the content…”

                Kanan worried with his beard. “Will that voice changer be enough to keep him safe?”

                “Probably, and the fact that the signature and trajectory points are inaccessible will also help, but…it’s only a matter of time now.” Hera said. “It’s not safe for him to stay with the Empire.”

                “What are you suggesting?” Sabine asked.

                “It might be best if we got Kallus out of there. The Empire now knows we have an informant that’s likely an imperial. He’s in danger now.”

                “So we’re going to…kidnap him?” Ezra asked.

                “I don’t think that will be necessary. We’ll need to send him a message, or send someone to explain the situation to him, and hopefully he’ll just come along quietly.” Hera said.

                “And how should we go about doing that?” Kanan asked.

                “We’ll need to think of something,” Hera said. “And fast.”

~ ▪ ~

                Kallus sat on his bed, face buried in his hands.

 _There was no other way_ , he told himself for the hundredth time. But no matter how many times he tried to convince himself, he could not stop the all-out assault of fear and worry coursing through his mind.

               Before yesterday’s fiasco, being Fulcrum had stressed Kallus out. Now he was an utter mess, paranoid of his own shadow and of every occasional footstep he heard outside his room.

 _There was no other way_ , his mind kept pleading. And it _had_ been necessary. If he had not transmitted that message, the rebels would most likely be dead or captured by now. But in keeping them safe, had he unintentionally cursed himself to their intended fate?

              His overthinking ate away at him from the inside. There was no way the Empire would have let a transmission from their own port slip away undetected. Even if he _did_ disguise the message, they could still listen to its content. He knew that bastard Thrawn would have ordered all transmissions to be monitored during the project, and Kallus could not stop berating himself for falling into his trap.

              He walked over to the mirror above his sink and stared back into the eyes of a man scared senseless. Bags and dark circles rimmed the delicate skin beneath his eyes. His blond hair jutted up in random directions, and a deep frown marred the bottom half of his face.

              But despite all the possible outcomes for him—no matter how nasty or unpleasant—he could not just chuck the responsibility he had as Fulcrum away. The Rebellion still needed him, whether his days were numbered or not. And as though to make that point clear to himself, he had went back down to Lothal a few hours ago to transmit a new Fulcrum message informing the rebels of their plan’s victory. But while he was on his way back to the _Chimaera_ , he couldn’t help but make one more stop before leaving Capital City.

              He had promised himself years ago that he wouldn't drink ever again, but had found himself unable to resist the temptation. Just one drink would be enough to numb the pain and worry he felt now. And then tomorrow he’d feel better, shaking his head at how stupid he had been for overthinking in the first place.

              He walked over to where the brown paper bag lay waiting on his nightstand. He had picked it up from a small, obscure liquor store near the outskirts of town. He could feel it burning a hole in the spot where it sat, calling out to him like an old friend.

              Dark rum had always been his weakness. Like a captivating mistress, it knew how to pull him back in even when he knew he should stay away. He unscrewed the cap,  undressing his lover, and took his first deep sip, feeling her kiss singe his throat. He pulled away from the bottle’s lips, grimacing at the burn. Lothalian rum had a vicious bite, and he loved it.

              He only had a couple of hours until the start of his shift, and drinking on the clock was strictly against protocol. But it wouldn’t be anything too difficult, just keeping an eye on some of the night shift personnel. He could manage that while being drunk. And what did protocol even matter to him now? Wasn't he practically a dead man walking?

              He grinned to himself as he remembered his assigned post—the offices in the Bridge sector. Thrawn’s office was in that sector, and maybe tonight he would finally gain enough evidence to launch an investigation into his and Commander Rizzo’s relationship. He glanced down at a datachip on his desk, knowing he only had two recordings of her entering his office during the night and not leaving until 0800 hours in the morning on two separate occasions. All he needed was one more recording to make an appealing case to ISB, and then he’d have that kriffing Pantoran, or whatever the hell he was, out of his hair for good.

              Once Kallus downed what felt like the equivalence of six shots, he finally stopped, savoring in the feeling of intoxicating numbness. With his wits mostly still with him and his ability to walk without stumbling still unhindered, he stood. Minus the couple of extra trips to the refresher he’d have to take, he could definitely complete his patrol tonight without any problem. No one else would see him other than the occasional stormtrooper, and possibly Commander Rizzo.

              And stars how he hoped he would run into her on the way there. As soon as she would step foot into Thrawn’s office, he’d set up a secret camera and add one more recording to his arsenal. But even then, it still wouldn’t feel like enough. He _wanted_ her to know that he knew. Wanted to see the look on her face as she begged him not to report her and Thrawn to ISB. And as the alcohol continued to pound through his veins, he found the idea of running into Commander Rizzo during his patrol more and more appealing.

~ ▪ ~

              A molten sunset cast Atollon into a blinding mixture of red and orange when Hera and the rest of her crew finally concocted a plan about how best to extract Kallus out of the Empire.

              A rebel informant had only just recently notified Hera of Kallus’s location. Tomorrow he would be indefinitely transferred to a small star cruiser stationed over Lothal, giving the team ample time to prepare for their next move—infiltrating the ship. Ezra would pose as a ship thief and allow himself to be captured by Kallus’s ship. Once Ezra was on board and could explain everything to Kallus, Kanan and Rex, disguised as stormtroopers, would fly out to the ship in a stolen imperial transporter and rescue them.

              With Ezra’s skill and Rex’s knowledge of clearance codes and imperial protocol, the team felt more than confidant about their plan.

              Though he had been listening intently and adding his own ideas, Kanan had still felt his mind wandering away throughout the entire meeting. More than once he had turned his head towards the wilderness, silently wishing he could leave the meeting early without upsetting Hera.

              Ever since the incident a week ago at the factory on Lothal, he had wanted to speak with the Bendu again, but hadn’t found the time in between missions and helping Hera with her projects. But as soon as the meeting ended, he wasted no time in starting up his speeder and racing through the dusty landscape to the place where he could sense Bendu’s presence.

              The sun had dipped halfway down the horizon by the time he and the great beast greeted each other.

              “Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight,” the Bendu’s voice boomed. “I sense more turmoil in you. What troubles you this time?”

              The same as before, Kanan had explained. Only now his hopes and speculations had been dashed.

              Untrained Force powers.

              The wrong last name.

              Kanan had made the mistake of unconsciously nursing his expectations, allowing them to grow like a tall, wobbling tree, rotting from the inside by his own uncertainty and misplaced hope. Ezra’s information had been the axe, and all it had taken were two blows to knock everything down.

              “You mustn’t build up so much in your mind, for it will only crumble down all around you,” Bendu said. When Kanan said nothing, the beast grunted and frowned. “I had offered you advice when we first met, and you have yet to take it.”

              “What does any of this have to do with my sight?” Kanan curtly asked.

              “Ah, you have already forgotten?” Bendu countered. “I said that you mustn’t dwell on who you lost in the past, or you will not be there to find them in the future. Yet you still choose to look back rather than look to the here and now. You still choose to look back rather than look to what lies ahead.” Kanan grimaced. “You must learn to let go, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight, or you will never be able to move forward.”

              “I _have_ learned to let go,” Kanan persisted.

              “No you have not!” Bendu said, his voice as unyielding as iron. “If you had, you would not have built up such expectations in your mind. You would not have allowed it to distract you from your everyday life.” Kanan looked up. “I can see through you, my boy. I am aware of how desperate you are to leave your friends and seek me out for more answers I cannot give you.” The beast shifted, and Kanan exhaled slowly. “As I said before, this is a path of discovery you must take on your _own_. Only _you_ can help yourself. Once you finally let go, you will find that everything will fall into place. But it is your _friends_ who need you now, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight, not this girl from the past. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you may, in fact, find her again.”

              Kanan nodded slowly, conceding to Bendu’s accusations, fully aware of how obsessed he had become ever since their mission on Ryloth. He had allowed thoughts of seeing her again flood his mind, commanding his attention away from his friends and missions and instead funneling it towards some imperial stranger. In a way, he had unknowingly distanced himself from everyone and everything that mattered, much like he did when he first became blind.

              Knowing the Bendu would not tell him more, he lifted his head. “You’re right, Bendu,” Kanan said. “I do need to let go. And while I learn to do that, will you keep something safe for me?”

              With a small smile, the beast raised a curious brow. “What would you like for me to keep?”

              “Something of hers,” he said quietly. “For weeks I’ve been taking it out of its hiding place, holding it in my hands, revisiting old memories in my mind.” Kanan looked down. “It might be better if it’s away from me, at least for now.”

              “Hmmm,” Bendu said, his smile still playing on his face. “If you truly believe this will help ease your troubled mind, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight, then bring it to me.”

~ ▪ ~

              When the chrono finally flashed 1900 hours, Elena laid her paintbrush down, washed her watercolor-stained hands, and made her way to Thrawn’s quarters.

              She had been looking forward to spending the evening with him all day, and not just because she needed the distraction. Just the thought of seeing and spending time with him was enough to send bolts of excitement through her. She smiled, feeling the same giddiness as though they were meeting for the first time.

              But her smile quickly faded when she turned the corner and saw none other than Agent Kallus.

 _Big surprise_ , she muttered to herself. For weeks he had been slinking down these same hallways at night. So much, in fact, that it was starting to scare her.

              But now, something was off. She could feel it.

              As the two neared each other, she noted his disheveled hair and flushed face, and tried to conceal a frown at the feeling of overconfidence rolling off of him.

              "Agent," she greeted quietly.

              He laughed. "Commander Rizzo," he said a little too loudly. "Off on another one of your nightly adventures?"

              She stopped and gave him a strange look. "Is everything _okay_ , Agent?"

              "Oh, I’m perfectly fine," he said with a hint of sarcasm. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and that's when she could smell it—the strong odor of alcohol.

              Being Fulcrum must be taking its toll on him, she thought. Maybe waiting until his interview wouldn’t be necessary. Maybe she could get him to confess right here and now.

              She already had her datapad in hand. And with the slightest of movements that a drunk ISB agent wouldn’t have noticed, she activated the voice recorder button on the side of the device.

              "You know," she glared. "I could get you into serious trouble for this."

              He narrowed his eyes. "Oh? And what _exactly_ would you be reporting me for?"

              "You're drunk.”

              "And you're fucking the Grand Admiral.”

              For a few long seconds, the air stood painfully still around the two. Elena shifted, feeling as though the floor had opened up beneath her, sending her spiraling out into the oblivion of open space. For a solid moment she hated herself for being a terrible liar and an even more terrible actress. Her face screwed up in disgusted surprise, still desperate to save herself. But the look on Kallus’s drunken face was enough to tell her that he knew. _He knew_ , and nothing she could say or do would tell him otherwise.

              "E-Excuse me?" she said with a deathly serious glare.

              "I knew it," he said. "The way you're always sneaking off to his room and how you never come out until morning. The way you were always—“

              "Shut your kriffing mouth," she hissed through her teeth as she shut off her datapad’s recorder. He stopped talking, but only so he could give her an infuriating smirk. She had never wanted to slap someone so hard in her life. "I'm not doing _any such thing_. And how _dare_ you accuse me of something like that." She could feel the stinging pressure behind her eyes—angry tears threatening to break loose. She held them back, knowing they would seal her fate.

              "Don't lie to me, little girl. I'm a kriffing ISB agent. And you’re a _horrible_ liar.”

              "I'm _not_ lying!"

              He laughed. Her fate was sealed. “And you want to know what’s so damn hilarious?” He took only a few steps towards her, pinning her up against the wall. “I’m _drunk_ , and it was still so painfully obvious that you were lying. _That’s_ how bad you are at it.”

              “Why are you doing this?” The words came out shaky as she tried not to shrink away from him.

              “Commander Rizzo, I really don’t care if you like fucking Pantorans with kriffed up eyes. I really don’t care who or _what_ you liking fucking to be honest.” She clenched her fists, her nails digging crescent moons into her skin. “But I will _not_ sit by and allow two people who think they’re above protocol to hunt me down behind my back for crimes I have not committed.”

              She gave him the nastiest glare she could manage, knowing exactly what he was hinting at. “You’d _know_ a thing or two about breaking protocol, wouldn’t you? Traitorous hypocrite…”

              He stayed quiet, only giving her an angry smile as he backed away from her. "I'll tell you what, Commander. Let's make a deal."

              "What?" she spat.

              "Tell anyone you saw me intoxicated while on duty, and I'll launch an investigation into your and the Grand Admiral's _relationship_.”

              "You _disgusting_ …" she mumbled. "That's why you've been sneaking around this area of the ship. You filthy, perverted--"

              "Do we have a _deal_ , Commander?" he said.

              She had never felt so lividly angry in her life. She could feel every single one of her blood cells boiling in her body. Maybe if she glared hard enough at him, it would burn a hole through that infuriating look on his face. And with that anger came a new type of feeling from the Force. One of intense power and savagery, almost as intoxicating as whatever Kallus had been drinking. She could kill him, right here and now, and finally be done with him. But she stopped herself, a voice of reason beckoning in the back of her mind to stop. It pleaded with her, begging her not to go down that path. So she focused, taking control of her emotion’s reigns before they could buck her off.

              "We have a deal, _Agent_ ," she said with feral calm, emphasizing his title through gritted teeth. "Think what you want of me and Grand Admiral Thrawn, but just know that you're wrong."

              She walked briskly away from him, still trying to subdue that intense anger that had threatened to take over. She could still feel his presence behind her, burning bright in the middle of that hallway as he stared after her. 

              “Kallus knows about us,” she immediately said once in the safety of Thrawn’s office.

              He got up from his desk, hands behind his back, with a look that could strike fear into any enemy. “How do you know this?”

              She could feel the heat pounding from her face as she recounted the entire encounter, word for word.

              “Then we should refrain from spending this evening together until his transfer to Lieutenant Lyste’s star cruiser.”

              Elena grimaced, unsure if she could hate Kallus more than she did now.

              The two ultimately decided to not report Kallus for his intoxication, grudgingly aware that they still needed him to use against the rebels. Thrawn had promised Elena that they would have their night together once Kallus was off the ship tomorrow. And as quickly as she could without looking suspicious, she left to return to her room.

~ ▪ ~

              The moon hung high over Atollon as night started to settle over the planet. Kanan parked his speeder and approached the Bendu, who rustled awake at the sound of Kanan's footsteps.

              “Here it is,” Kanan said as he held out his hand, offering the object to Bendu. With one ancient, gnarled hand, the great beast lifted it away from Kanan using the Force. The object slowly hovered in the air until it came to rest in Bendu’s palm.

              “I will make sure it is kept safe until the day you return for it, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight,” he said as he wrapped his giant fingers around the possession, enclosing it with his fist. “And in return, you will heed my advice and be patient. You will know when the time is right.”

              “I will,” Kanan said. “And thank you, Bendu.”

              For the first time in a few weeks, Kanan slept peacefully that night. Rather than ruminating over losses and what-ifs, he instead allowed himself to enjoy the feel of Hera resting her head on his chest, sleeping soundly next to him until he too had fallen into a deep, calming sleep.

~ ▪ ~

              Two days had passed since Elena and Kallus had their skirmish in the hallway. Yesterday morning he had been promptly transferred to Lyste’s star cruiser, allowing Thrawn and Elena to enjoy a night alone in peace.

              But as soon as she closed her eyes and drifted asleep, her peace had been shattered.

              “No…” Elena muttered once she realized what was happening. The long dark hallway, the slight incline, the figure she saw in the distance—her nightmare was back.

              And there was Kallus, blaster ready and pointed straight at her heart. She flinched as he shot her, sending her back into the darkness, where that horrible monster lay waiting for her in the inky blackness.

 _“You cannot see,”_ that ancient, omnipotent voice said.

 _See what?!_ She wanted to cry out. _Why are you doing this to me?_

             Once again her body froze, and she stood there helplessly, her ears deafened by the unsettling sound of the creature’s breathing device.

_“Your defeat.”_

_Defeat?_ Would this monster kill her? Be the final blow that would wipe her away from this galaxy, erasing her existence forever? She would gladly die a thousand deaths before dying at the hands of this monstrosity.

            She could not even choke out a cry as it brought its red sword down to strike her.

_"Like many arms surrounding you in a cold embrace…”_

           Elena jolted awake with a stifled gasp, the last syllable of the final word she heard still echoing in her mind. It took a minute for Thrawn’s room to finally materialize around her as she came to her senses.

           It had been weeks since she had had that nightmare, and now it had felt even more real than the last one. Was she _that_ stressed out from her encounter with Kallus two days ago that the nightmare came back? She laced her fingers through her hair and groaned. Tomorrow—or later today, she supposed, after glancing at the chrono and seeing the time displayed 0218 hours—would be Kallus’s, Lyste’s, and Admiral Konstantine’s interview, and the last thing she wanted to see was that kriffing ISB agent’s face again. Still panting for air, she lowered herself back down into Thrawn’s bed, feeling his left arm still wrapped around her.

          She looked back at Thrawn and realized that this was her first time waking up before him. A small light from outside the bedroom porthole allowed her a glimpse at his sleeping face.

          Even in sleep he still looked like a fierce, unquestioned commander. Yet he looked so peaceful with his eyes closed and his expression relaxed. She noticed how two small, crescent-shaped strips of red rimmed the delicate skin beneath each of his eyes. Curious, she wanted to trace one with her fingers, but thought better of it, afraid that it might wake him. She wondered if he ever felt lonely, being the only member of his kind out here in the galaxy. Surely he must miss his home, being around his own kind, speaking his own language. She gently ran her fingertips through his shimmery blue hair, wishing she could learn more about him.

          Once she felt calm enough to close her eyes, she curled up against his chest, which slowly rose with each gentle breath he took, and willed herself to fall back asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Make sure you guys remember the details of her nightmare (there's a more detailed description of it at the beginning of chapter 8)--parts of it will actually happen in the future (...or very near future). 
> 
> As always, thank you for all the kudos and comments :) it was so wonderful to see all the new ones pop up in my email this past month.


	21. Through Imperial Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a daring attempt to extract Kallus out of the Empire, Ezra allows himself to be captured by Lieutenant Lyste. But the tides turn against them when both Ezra and Kallus find themselves trapped on Grand Admiral Thrawn's Star Destroyer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this chapter (and the next, which will be a part 2 to this one), and I really hope you guys enjoy it too :)

                Alarms bellowed through the light cruiser as Agent Kallus made his way to the cockpit. What little stormtroopers they had scurried to their battle stations, readying for what they believed would be an all-out assault from an enemy ship. But as the door to the cockpit sprung open, Kallus saw nothing except for a small shuttle blasting through the clear skies of Lothal’s stratosphere—definitely not something that merited the use of an alarm.

                Lyste stood inside, gazing out the cockpit window with his hands calmly behind his back. Kallus had to keep from shaking his head in annoyance at his young cohort’s overkill. “Lieutenant Lyste,” he said, cutting his eyes towards the window, “Are we under attack?”

                “No, and I intend to keep it that way,” Lyste said as he looked out the window. “This stolen shuttle reportedly blasted its way out of the Lothal spaceport. I’m moving to intercept.” He turned his head, “Prepare tractor beam,” he said to an ensign.

                Kallus watched with suspicion as the ship headed straight towards them, not even putting up a fight. He crinkled his brow. Either this thief was an idiot or they were actually _trying_ to get captured. “I’ll head up the boarding party,” he said as he exited the cockpit.  

                Once the stolen ship docked, he made his way to the passage. Two stormtroopers held the thief firmly by his arms as he tried to fight back.

                “Let me go!” the thief growled, his voice distorted by his helmet, “You’re making a mistake!”

                “Remove his helmet,” Kallus commanded. A stormtrooper snatched it off the thief’s head, and it took Kallus everything he had to maintain his composure.

                Ezra Bridger.

                “What are you looking at, imperial scum?!” Ezra snarled. Kallus could see through the boy’s acting, could tell from the look in his eyes that he had a reason for being there. And he had every intention of finding out why.

                Once they reached the ship’s detention center, the troopers shoved Ezra into a prison cell, his helmet clattering to the ground.

                “Leave us,” Kallus calmly said to them, “I’ll interrogate him myself.” He stepped inside, and as soon as the door shut behind him, he powered off the outside camera and audio, leaving himself and Ezra completely alone.

                “Don’t you realize how _dangerous_ it is for you to _be_ here?” Fury coated his words, but he had been careful not to shout. “If _anyone_ recognizes you—“

                “They won’t,” Ezra said a little too enthusiastically. He turned around, and Kallus busied himself with removing his restraints. “You know how big the Empire is. Most troopers don’t even know what I look like now.” Ezra turned back around, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had dug into his skin.

                “I hope that’s true for _both_ our sakes…If they discover you here, I’ll be _executed_ for _treason_!”

                “Ha,” Ezra chuckled, “You might be anyway. We think the Empire was monitoring your last Fulcrum transmission.”

                Kallus’s heart jerked. So his fear _had_ come true. “So you got captured to _warn_ me?”

                “Nope! To get you out of here.”

                Kallus could just stare in disbelief. “Well I guess I have no _choice_ now!” Frustrated, he threw his hands in the air and groaned.

                Ezra started to pace around the room. “Look, I’m not happy about it either. For all I know, you’re playing a long game to set us up.”

                “I could. Say. The same. To _you_ ,” Kallus counted. “But I suppose for now, we’ll just have to… _trust_ each other.”

                “Open this door!” Lyste yelled from outside. Time was up. Ezra grabbed Kallus’s hand, balling it into a fist, and punched himself with it. Kallus didn’t even have time to comprehend when the door sprung open and Ezra threw himself to the ground.

                “Stop! I’ll tell you anything!” Ezra pleaded.

                “A confession already? You _are_ good,” Lyste said. “But it will have to wait. Admiral Thrawn’s fleet’s just arrived, and he has summoned _us_ to board his ship. Bring the prisoner...”

                “The prisoner?” Kallus asked as a stormtrooper lifted Ezra up.

                “To show the Grand Admiral how _effective_ I am in dealing with a rebel threat,” Lyste answered.

                “He’s a _bounty hunter_ , not a rebel,” Kallus said.

                “He’s from Lothal, that’s enough.”

                Reluctantly, Kallus left the prison cell with them, leaving Ezra’s helmet behind. He didn’t believe his situation could get any worse than it had just become…

~ ▪ ~

                “They’ll be here within the half hour, you know,” Thrawn said to Elena with a devilish smirk. The two sat in his office, waiting for Colonel Yularen, Admiral Konstantine, Agent Kallus, and Lieutenant Lyste to arrive.

                “I know,” she said as she straddled him in his chair. The last thing she wanted to do was see Kallus again, and the anxiety was making her restless. She’d give anything to suspend the ill feeling her nerves were giving her.

                He didn’t protest, keeping his hands firmly on the armrests as he gave her a once-over with his smoldering red eyes. She returned his gaze as she lifted herself off of him and got down on her knees. His eyes flashed as she reached for his belt. But before she could even attempt to unbuckle it, a small ping announced someone’s arrival at the main door. She stopped and gasped with horrified surprise before crawling into the small space under Thrawn’s desk, knowing full well there would have been no time for her to stand up without being caught in the act. As soon as she had ducked down, the office door swung open, and Colonel Yularen and Admiral Konstantine stepped inside.

~ ▪ ~

                Kallus followed Lyste down the light cruiser’s hallway to its only transport ship. Two stormtroopers dragged Ezra, who kept his head low, in front.

                Seething with irritation, Kallus tried his best to keep his exterior as calm and collected as possible. Why had Thrawn all the sudden summoned them _now?_ And why couldn’t Lyste stow away his infuriating pride just this once and leave Ezra behind?

                He felt like a bundle of nerves at the prospect of meeting with Thrawn. What exactly might it entail? He grimaced as he thought back to that horrific stunt he had pulled the other day with Commander Rizzo. Had that stupid, red-headed harlot of Thrawn’s reported him anyway? He gritted his teeth, feeling incredibly stupid for drinking all the liquor in the first place. But then again, maybe she hadn’t reported him…after all, he _did_ have quite a large accusation hanging over her head, and she had no idea what kind of dirt he had collected on her.

                “Excuse me?” a mechanical voice said from the boarding hallway’s entrance. Kallus looked up and saw a purple, humanoid droid along with Hera Syndulla’s astromech—disguised in imperial colors—standing before them.

                Lyste pushed past Ezra. “I did not request any droids to accompany us.”

                “We were aboard the shuttle when it was stolen. My counterpart has a recording of the theft,” the purple droid said. “Protocol is for us to provide it as testimony against the thief.”

                “Very well,” Lyste said, and he continue his way towards the transport.

                Once Ezra and the droids had been secured, Kallus made his way to the cockpit with Lyste, who was beginning to look nervous.

                “I haven’t been summoned by ranking officers since that incident with the princess from Alderaan,” Lyste sighed, “That was not a pleasant meeting…” He looked back up at Kallus. “But I shall endeavor to make a better impression this time.”

                Kallus kept his gaze fixated on the fast approaching Star Destroyer, still feeling on edge. “I’m sure you will, Lieutenant.”

~ ▪ ~

                As soon as the ship landed in the _Chimaera’s_ hangar, AP-5 watched as the troopers yanked Ezra back into their iron grip and escorted him down the transporter’s ramp. He silently rejoiced when no one paid him or Chopper a lick of attention, which would give the droids plenty of opportunity to contact Kanan and Rex, who were out in hyperspace somewhere in their stormtrooper disguises.

                AP-5 watched as the young lieutenant presented Ezra to a stormtrooper. “A rebel prisoner for the Grand Admiral.”

                “Take him to detention block B-7,” a trooper ordered as they hauled Ezra away. Kallus and the lieutenant left shortly after, leaving AP-5 and Chopper alone in the hangar.

                “We need to update our status to the retrieval team…” he told Chopper.

                “Copy that,” Chopper beeped before activating his internal comm. Once he had hold of Kanan, he explained the situation as succinctly as he could.

                “You’re _where?”_ Kanan asked.

                “On Thrawn’s Star Destroyer,” Chopper beeped.

                “Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Star Destroyer? What in blazes are you doing _there?”_ Rex asked.

                “They transferred Ezra here after he got captured.”

                “Well that really changes the plan…” Rex muttered. “Our clearance codes are for the light cruiser, not Thrawn’s Star Destroyer.”

                “Chop, you’ve got to get us those clearance codes,” Kanan said.

                “Let’s hope that’s easier than it sounds,” Chopper replied before shutting off his comm. AP-5 followed his friend as he rolled over to a terminal hidden behind a TIE fighter.

                “What are you doing?” AP-5 asked.

                “I’m going to download the ship’s clearance codes from here.”

                “Clearance codes? We can’t just download _those_ from any terminal. We’ll have to find an officer’s port,” AP-5 said, earning a groan from Chopper as the two made their way into the belly of the Star Destroyer.

~ ▪ ~

                “Colonel Yularen, Admiral Konstantine,” Thrawn said, getting up from his desk, “Thank you for arriving early.”

                Elena curled up in a corner under Thrawn’s desk, wishing she could shrink herself even more. Eyes wide, she kept a hand over her mouth, afraid that even the smallest of sounds would betray her.

                “Of course,” she heard Colonel Yularen answer. “I ran into Admiral Konstantine on my way back to your office.”

                “Is it true then?” Konstantine asked. “We truly have a spy in our midst?” Thrawn sat back in his chair, his right boot brushing up against Elena’s. She heard the other two men sit down across from him.

                “We do, Admiral” Thrawn answered.

                As they continued their conversation, Elena could not help but think of just how mortifying the situation truly was. If they had walked in only _seconds_ earlier…

                Her heart picked up speed, and she started fidgeting with her bracelet, desperate for something to distract her shaking fingers. 

                “Who else are we waiting for?” asked Konstantine.

                “Agent Kallus and Lieutenant Lyste will be arriving shortly,” Thrawn answered. “They have had numerous encounters with the rebels we’re pursuing, and I have no doubt they’ll be of great help to our investigation.”

                “I agree,” said Yularen. “Grand Admiral, if I may, I’m shifting the subject a bit, but where has your Officer’s Aide gone to? Shouldn’t she be in attendance to this meeting just like she has for the others?”

                Elena’s eyes widened in horror.

                “Ah, yes.” Thrawn answered nonchalantly, as though she wasn’t currently shoved up under his desk trying to quiet her breathing. “Before you arrived I had sent her to prepare a datachip of information for me. She will be back in time for our meeting with Governor Pryce. Commander Rizzo is quite familiar with Lyste’s and Kallus’s rebel encounters, so I do not believe she will miss anything substantial from this meeting.”

 _Good lie_ , she thought. Still nervous, she continued to fidget with her bracelet’s clasp until she heard the tiniest, almost inaudible snap, and looked down in dismay. She had fiddled with it so hard that the clasp had broken off. The bracelet still clung to her wrist, but with the clasp gone, she’d now have a much harder time at keeping it from sliding off. Her heart sank as she buried her face in her arms, wanting nothing more than to scream in frustration. She started to feel the sting of incoming tears behind her eyes, but kept them at bay. She _had_ to keep quiet.

                The familiar ping that signified someone’s arrival wrenched her away from her grieving, and she heard two more people enter the office—Agent Kallus and Lieutenant Lyste. Everyone, including Thrawn, got out of their seats to greet the two men.

                “Colonel Yularen,” she heard Agent Kallus say. “I don’t know if you remember me from the academy…”

                “Of course,” Yularen said, “Young Agent Kallus. I keep tabs on all my star pupils.”

                “What brings you to Lothal?” Kallus asked.

                “We are in need of his expertise,” answered Thrawn. “There’s a rebel spy in our midst. Codename, Fulcrum. And perhaps today we’re going to learn their true identity.”

                She wondered what Kallus’s face looked right now. Was he surprised? Angry? Indifferent?

                A few seconds passed as everyone got seated. Elena saw Thrawn’s boots reappear as he walked back to stand behind his desk. “A traitor in our ranks is feeding the rebels information,” Thrawn said, his back turned away from them. “That is the only logical explanation for their success…and our failure.”

                “I will do everything in my power to find this spy, Grand Admiral,” she heard Lyste say. She rolled her eyes and smiled at her friend’s avidity, knowing how badly he wanted another promotion.

                “Thank you for your enthusiasm, Lieutenant,” Thrawn said, “However, few are above suspicion. ISB Colonel Yularen will question each of you.”

                “In the meantime,” Yularen said, “Be vigilant. Watch your subordinates closely, and your peers even closer.”

                “Our spy must be unmasked quickly, as I’m on the verge of locating the rebel base in this sector.” Stepping towards his desk, Thrawn activated the holomap. “I’ve narrowed it down to these worlds.”

                “From among _thousands_?” asked Konstantine. “How?”

                “An analysis of rebel hyperspace routes, their attacks on imperial ships and facilities, and—rather importantly—proximity to Lothal.” She heard Thrawn shut off their holomap and then walk around his desk. “You’re dismissed,” he bluntly said.

                She heard the desk groan as everyone stood up from their seats and turn to leave. From her spot under the desk, she could hear Thrawn talking with Colonel Yularen near the doorway to the antechamber.

                “Colonel Yularen, if you will allow me five minutes to prepare for your and Pryce’s meeting?”

                “Of course, Grand Admiral,” Yularen said before Elena heard the door to the office and then to the main entrance click shut.

                “It’s safe now,” Thrawn said. She popped out from under the desk, glad to finally be free from her hiding place.  

                “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” she said.

                He took her hands in his. “Neither do I,” his eyes softened.

                “What should I do? He’ll be back any minute.”

                Thrawn looked towards the door and then back at her. “Go into my training room and leave the door slightly ajar. Once you’ve seen both Yularen and Pryce enter my office and the door shut behind them, exit out of the main door. The trooper guard outside knows you’re in here and will not be suspicious of you leaving.” He started leading her towards the training room. “Once you’re out, go to your room, bring back any datachip you find, and comm me once you have it.” She stood inside the training room’s door frame. “I’ll answer your comm by telling you to return to my office. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll comm you myself.”

                “Good plan,” she said. She shut the door, leaving just a sliver of an opening so she could watch.

~ ▪ ~

                “Agent Kallus,” Yularen said as they exited through the main door. “You’ve had multiple encounters with the rebels in this sector. Any thoughts on our traitor?”

                “A high-level intelligence leak suggests an officer,” Kallus answered.

                “True…but in our technological system, accessing information tends to be _easier_ than having the means to _transmit_ it without the Empire’s knowledge.” The old man’s face hardened. “Whoever this spy is, they have a method of transmitting that we are, yet, unaware of.”

                “If I can do anything to help,” Kallus offered.

                “I’ll let you know,” Yularen said before turning down the right side of the hallway, datapad in hand. Kallus turned down the left side and found Lyste tucked between two wall supports, waiting for him.

                “It is said no traitor escapes the eye of Yularen for long,” Lyste said.

                “I guess we’ll see,” Kallus said.

                A thousand conflicting feelings coursed through his brain. There had been no mention of his breach in protocol three days ago, but now his worse fear had been confirmed: they had, in fact, captured the transmission that he had been so worried about, and they now knew the rebel informant codename.

                He focused his mind, not allowing the chaos to spin him out of control again. He would worry with the repercussions later. Right now, he only had one main priority: getting Ezra off this ship without giving himself away. He started raking his brain for ideas. Code cylinders, which every imperial officer had tucked into the shoulder pockets of their uniforms, were the only keys to imperial prison cells. The only problem was that they would give away Kallus’s identity if he used his own. He would need to steal someone else’s without them knowing and frame them for his crime. Glancing over at Lyste, he started to come up with a plan. Removing one of his own cylinders, he concealed it with his hand.

                The two men continued their walk down the hallway, but just as they turned the corner, they nearly ran into Governor Pryce.  

                “Kallus,” the stern, dark-headed governor said. “I saw a report that a shuttle theft from Lothal was prevented.”

                “Actually,” Kallus said, putting a hand on Lyste’s back, “Lieutenant Lyste was responsible for that.”

                “Really,” she said, “Well that deserves commendation.”

                “Thank you, Governor,” Lyste said as she continued her way down the hall towards Thrawn’s office.

                “Step carefully,” Kallus said quietly, grabbing Lyste’s shoulders, “ISB is watching her. You should too.” With his hand still on Lyste’s shoulder, he gingerly removed one of the lieutenant’s code cylinders, and stealthy replaced it with his own. Lyste hadn’t even noticed.

                “What? Why?” Lyste looked up in surprise. “You don’t mean _Pryce_ is the rebel spy?” His brows shot up. “ _That’s_ why she wasn’t in the meeting…”

                “Thrawn has no proof yet, but I’m sure he and _Commander Rizzo_ would be grateful if you kept an eye on her.” Kallus said. The mention of his crush’s name immediately grabbed Lyste’s attention. “I’m sure she’d be quite impressed if you caught that spy she and Thrawn have been trying to hunt down.”

                “She can count on me,” Lyste said, walking off towards Thrawn’s office.

                Once out of sight, Kallus looked down at the code cylinder he stole, and made his way to the detention center.

~ ▪ ~

                “Any progress?” Pryce asked as she and Yularen entered Thrawn’s office, the door closing behind them.

                “I’m certain the spy was present at our interviews,” he said. While he had waited on Pryce and Yularen to arrive, he had busied himself with examining Captain Syndulla’s kalikori, which he kept on a pedestal in his office. He placed the totem back on its display, hoping that Elena had made it out of the office unseen. “Now we only need to wait and see if they take our bait and warn the rebels.”

                “I may have something,” Yularen said, looking up from his datapad. “A coded rebel message was beamed from this ship right after an off-ship prisoner was transferred to your detention block, B-7.”

                “Well, then,” Thrawn said, already impressed with the progress they were making. “Shall we visit this mysterious prisoner?”

~ ▪ ~

                Once Pryce and Yularen had entered his office, Elena bolted out of Thrawn’s training room and quickly left through the main door. Once outside, she kept calm until she was out of the stormtrooper guard’s sight, and then took off sprinting towards her room. She grabbed a random datachip from her desk and briskly made her way back to Thrawn’s office.

                On the way, her commlink pinged. “Commander Rizzo, update me on your progress regarding the datachip I requested.”

                She answered as calmly as she could. “I have it, Grand Admiral. I’m in route to your office now.”

                “Excellent,” Thrawn said, “Colonel Yularen, Governor Pryce, and I are headed to the detention block center to visit a newly arrived prisoner. When you return, remain in my office. We will be back shortly.”

                “Yes, Grand Admiral.”

                Once she arrived, the trooper guard opened the door with her code cylinder, and she stepped inside.

~ ▪ ~

                “No, we should get the codes _before_ we release Bridger.”

                Kallus turned down the detention center hallway and saw that purple droid and the astromech from earlier standing right in front of Ezra’s cell—B-7. As the two continued to bicker, Kallus used Lyste’s cylinder to power down the surveillance cameras and open up Ezra’s cell.

                “This way,” he told the two droids. He opened the door and found Ezra anxiously waiting, his hands secured behind his back with binders.

                “Come on, let’s get out of here,” Ezra said.

                “None of us will be leaving without the clearance codes to this ship,” the purple droid said in his infuriatingly monotone voice.

                “I hadn’t thought of that…” Ezra said as Kallus helped him out of his restraints.

                “And I’m afraid there’s another complication…” Kallus said. “I’ve just learned that Thrawn is very close to locating your base. You’ll have to tell me where it is.”

                “So you can tell _him?_ No way.” Ezra glared. “You’ll find out when we get there.”

                “Not if Thrawn destroys it first,” Kallus said with a hard look. “I need to know its location so I can remove it from his database.”

                “ _If_ it’s even on the list!”

                “If I may,” the purple droid interjected, “We can accomplish both of our goals by infiltrating Grand Admiral Thrawn’s office. Agent Kallus can keep our base hidden, and we can gain the clearance codes we so desperately need.”

                “Ok, we’ll do it,” Ezra said. “But how will we know if Thrawn is in his office?”

                Kallus grabbed a commlink from his belt, and spoke into it. “Lieutenant Lyste? Where are you?”

                “Following Pryce,” Lyste answered. “She’d headed to the detention cells with Admiral Thrawn and Colonel Yularen.”

                “Stay on her,” Kallus said. “But remember Lieutenant, don’t let them see you.” He stowed the comm away, and the four of them exited the prison cell.

                “We’ll have to get _you_ a uniform,” Kallus said to Ezra.

~ ▪ ~

                “I liked being a bounty hunter better…” Ezra muttered as he pulled at the austere fabric of the imperial uniform Kallus had found in a nearby supply closet.

                “We all make sacrifices,” Kallus sighed as the four of them made their way down the hallway to Thrawn’s office.

                “AP-5, stand guard here and let us know if anyone’s coming.”

                “Oh good, the thankless job…” AP-5 muttered at Ezra’s request.

                “See that trooper?” Kallus told Ezra as they neared the office door. “Convince him you are Lieutenant Lyste. Here is his code cylinder,” Ezra felt the brush of the cylinder against his hand and took it. “Get him to open the door with it.”

                Ezra stepped up to the trooper and relaxed as he readied himself. Performing Jedi mind tricks took focus, and he needed this one to count. “I am Lieutenant Lyste,” he said using his best impression of a Core accent while waving his hand in the correct motion. “Admiral Thrawn told you to expect us.”

                “Lieutenant Lyste,” the trooper repeated back as he took Lyste’s cylinder, “Thrawn told me to expect you.” Once the door sprung open, Ezra took back the cylinder, and he, Kallus, and Chopper stepped inside the foyer. The main door shut swiftly behind them as they walked towards the office entrance.

                But as soon as the door to the office swung open, they froze. Ezra had been expecting to enter an empty office, but right in front of the desk stood a young imperial women with familiar looking red hair.

                She spun around and gasped. For a split second, all four of them just stood there in frozen silence, too shocked to say or do anything.  

                Finally, both the girl and Ezra pointed at each other. “You!” they said simultaneously, recognition lighting up on their faces.

                “You’re that girl from—“

                But before Ezra could finish his sentence, Kallus whipped out his blaster and stunned the woman, sending her crumpling to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well it looks like the part in her dream about Kallus shooting her has come true...


	22. Agent Fulcrum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra and Kallus must work together and make difficult decisions if they are to escape Thrawn's ship alive.

               “Survelliance has been deactivated…” Thrawn said as he, Pryce, and Yularen turned down the corner to the detention center. All the security cameras displayed empty black screens, and an eerie quiet filled the hallway.

               “And where are the guards?” Pryce mused as she glanced around. She turned her eyes back to her left where she saw Colonel Yularen busily checking a screen next to cell B-7. He used his code cylinder to open up the door only to be greeted by an empty cell.

               “Where is the prisoner?” Thrawn asked in his menacing calm.

               Yularen grimaced as he turned back to Thrawn and Pryce. “The code records show your _Lieutenant Lyste_ was the last person to access this cell.”

               Thrawn narrowed his eyes in concentration, looking down as he paced a few steps to the left. Just when Pryce and Yularen didn’t think he would speak, Thrawn turned to face them. “If he freed the prisoner that can only mean he intends to help him escape off the ship.”

               “You don’t mean they would have the audacity to steal a ship from your hangar, do you?” Yularen asked.

               “No, I believe that would be too…difficult for someone of Lyste’s modest skill,” Thrawn said. “No…if Lyste is indeed the rebel spy, I believe our assailants may have rebel friends rushing to their rescue at this very second.”

               “But the rebels don’t have the firepower to take down this blockade, nor would they dispatch the entire fleet to save just two men…” Pryce commented.

               “Exactly,” Thrawn calmly answered. “I believe their rescuers will fly in on a stolen imperial ship disguised as officers or troopers, perhaps hoping that will gain them access to the ship’s hangar without being too conspicuous.”

               Yularen narrowed his eyes in concentration and glanced down. Pryce kept her gaze on Thrawn, waiting for him to elaborate.

               “Colonel Yularen,” Thrawn said. The old warrior’s head whipped up at the mention of his name. “If you would, go to the hangar bay’s control room and monitor any incoming ships. Governor Pryce, if you would wait in the hangar bay, Colonel Yularen can communicate with you about any suspicious activity. I have no doubt you will be most effective in stopping these criminals from escaping.”

               Pryce glared. “Indeed I will, Grand Admiral.”

               “I’m just now realizing, but I do believe Lyste may have something to gain from entering your office…especially now that you’re not there,” Yularen said.

               “My officer’s aide should be in my office by now.” Thrawn’s eyes turned hard as he reached for his comm. “Commander Rizzo, has anyone attempted to enter my office?” He waited a few seconds, but never received an answer. “Commander Rizzo?” When he still received no answer, he narrowed his eyes.

               “I will head to the control room immediately,” Yularen said as he walked briskly away. Pryce left close behind him, making her way for the hangar as fast as she could.

               With an icy glare, Thrawn turned down the opposite hallway towards a lift that would take him to his office, fully aware that something was wrong.

~ ▪ ~

               “I thought no one was supposed to be in here!” Ezra tried not to shout when he turned to Kallus. But once he saw the feral look in the ISB agent’s eyes, his anger immediately morphed into fear.

               “Do you have _any_ idea _who that is_?” Kallus said through gritted teeth as he sheathed his blaster and pointed at the unconscious woman.

               Ezra felt the sting of adrenaline rush through his chest. “Uhh…I’ve ran into her a couple times whenever Thrawn was around.”

               Kallus pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s because she’s the Grand Admiral’s _aide_ ,” he hissed. Releasing a long groan, he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands as he stepped over towards her. “And she _saw_ us…”

               Ezra heard Chopper roll up next to him, warbling an endless string of distressed binary. “It’s ok, Chop,” Ezra said in a not-so-reassuring tone. “Just go over to the desk and download the codes.” As Chopper did as he was told, Ezra looked back down at the girl and then at Kallus, who was hastily disabling her commlink, and started to panic. “What do we do?!”

               Kallus stuffed the deactivated comm back into the girl’s pocket. “She can’t stay here,” he said, standing up and walking back towards Ezra. “If we’re going to get off this ship alive, I need the imperials to think that it was _Lyste_ who broke into Thrawn’s office. But she recognized you, and she’s already been suspicious of me for quite some time. If we leave her on this ship, everyone will know that I’m the traitor and that it was _you_ and _I_ who broke into Thrawn’s office and tampered with his map.”

               Ezra walked over to the woman and sat her upright. “How long will she be out?”

               “For someone her size, a few minutes,” Kallus answered. “And from what I’m seeing, Bridger, you have two options. Either we can kill her and hide the body somewhere, _or_ you can take her back to your base as a hostage.”

               Ezra stood back up, his eyes wide as saucers. “Are you crazy?!” he nearly shouted. “I can’t _murder_ someone! And I sure as hell can’t take a _Force-sensitive_ _imperial_ back to base!”

               Something in Kallus’s expression sent a chill through Ezra. “What do you mean _Force-sensitive_?” he said in a venomous tone.

               Ezra’s legs started to shake, the enormity of the situation finally sinking in. But before he could explain anything, Kallus cut him off, too impatient to wait for an explanation.

               “Look, Force-sensitive or not you had _better_ make a choice soon,” Kallus hissed through gritted teeth, “Because _any_ minute now Thrawn will realize his prisoner escaped and will no doubt come running back here knowing that something’s wrong.”

               “I can’t kill her, Kallus,” Ezra glared.

               Kallus reached down and lifted the girl up. “Kidnapping it is, then,” he said before shoving the girl into Ezra’s arms. He adjusted his hold on her, supporting her upper back with one arm and her legs with the other. Luckily for him, she didn’t weigh too much. “This will work out better for you all in the long run,” Kallus tried to assure him. “You can use her to gain intel, or use her as a hostage the next time Thrawn threatens you.”

               Hera was going to kill him. Did they even _have_ prison cells back on Atollon? 

               “Don’t you mean _we_?” Ezra snapped. “Since you’re coming back to base with us, maybe interrogating our new prisoner would be a job best left to _you_.”

               But before Kallus could reply, Chopper interrupted with a triumphant warble. “I’ve got the codes!”

               “Chop, transmit the codes to Kanan.”

               “Are you crazy? They’ll intercept the transmission!” Kallus said.

               “Yeah, that a secret code was transmitted from Thrawn’s office,” counted Ezra.

               “Good point…” muttered Kallus.

               A flash of blue light illuminated the space above Thrawn’s desk as Chopper activated a holomap. Somewhere between eighty and a hundred planets floated around the room. Ezra immediately recognized one. “You were right,” Ezra said as his worried eyes rested on the small blue orb representing Atollon, “Thrawn _is_ close to finding our base.”

               “Droid,” Kallus said to Chopper, “Erase that planet and add another as a decoy.” Chopper acknowledged, wiping Atollon off the map and replacing it with a fake only a few inches away.

               “Unfortunate news,” AP-5 said through Kallus’s commlink, “Grand Admiral Thrawn is headed for his office.”

               “What?” Ezra exclaimed, feeling the weight of the girl in his arms grow more cumbersome. “Try to stall him!”

               “Oh wait, I can’t. He’s at the door,” the droid said.

               And as if to make matters worse, he heard the girl make a soft sound and start to rustle.

               “She’s waking up!” Ezra whisper-yelled.

               “Here,” Kallus pulled out his blaster and Ezra laid her back on the ground. She went limp again after Kallus’s second stun and fell back into unconsciousness. “That should last you until you get to your get-away ship.” He put his blaster back on his belt.

               “What about Thrawn?!” Ezra said as he lifted the girl back up and draped one of her arms over his shoulder.

               “I’ll handle it,” he said quietly.

               Ezra panicked. “Chopper, shut off the holomap.” The map dissolved back into the desk’s holoport. “Come on Kallus, let’s…” he looked around, but saw no sign of Kallus in the room. “Where’d he go?” Shaking his head from exasperation, Ezra darted his eyes all over the dark, gray office until they finally rested on an enormous slab of concrete covered in Sabine’s graffiti sitting just to the right of Thrawn’s desk. “Hide!” he told Chopper. With Elena’s arm still slung across his shoulder, he and Chopper hid behind the concrete slab, which was just big enough to conceal all three of them.

               Ezra held his breath when he heard the office door hiss open. He glanced out the corner of his eye and saw Thrawn and two stormtroopers standing in the doorframe. Ezra watched as the admiral glared and knitted his dark blue brows together in suspicion. He pulled the girl closer to him, trying his best to make the two of them as small as possible.

               “Commander Rizzo?” Thrawn said as he stepped into the office and out of Ezra’s line of sight. When the admiral didn’t receive an answer, Ezra heard him activate the port on his desk, and saw the blue light from the holomap creep around the edges of the slab. Thrawn stayed silent for a few seconds, no doubt studying the map for signs of tampering.

               “Is everything alright sir?” one of the troopers asked.

               Ezra heard him shut off the map, but before he could answer, two menacing-looking droids stomped into the room, knocking the troopers out of their way.

               Ezra heard Thrawn yell out some sort of override code; but if it was supposed to work, it didn’t. The two hulking droids were still stalking towards him. Ezra stayed behind the concrete slab, but peeked his head out just a little so he could get a view. He watched as Thrawn shot at the droids with his blaster and dodged their attacks as swiftly as he could. The admiral tried to fight back, but one droid caught hold of him and threw him against the concrete slab, which had nearly fallen over onto Ezra, Chopper, and the girl. Thrawn quickly got back up, and Ezra watched as the fight gravitated towards the opposite side of the room. Seeing his chance, he stood up.

               “Come on,” he said to Chopper, “While he’s distracted.” He got up, slinging the girl over his shoulder so that her legs dangled in front of him. Gripping her tightly so she wouldn’t fall off, he and Chopper darted out of their hiding place.

               “Lyste!” he heard Thrawn yell before the office door shut behind him. He nearly ran into Agent Kallus, who was standing right in front of the main door.

               “ _Assassin droids_?” Ezra asked as Kallus opened the door.

               “You’re welcome.”

               The three of them bolted down the hallway, Ezra already feeling winded from having to run with the girl slung over his shoulder. “Come on!” he said to AP-5. “We’re getting out of here.”

               “Will your friends be arriving soon?” Kallus panted.

               “Yes,” Ezra grunted, trying not to slow down from the extra weight. “Any minute now.”

               “Good,” Kallus said as they rounded a corner. “I used Lyste’s cylinder to break you out of your cell. They should suspect him by now. Hopefully that will keep them off our trail.”

~ ▪ ~

               “Well, here goes nothing,” Rex said as he and Kanan neared the end of their hyperspace journey. He clicked off the hyperspace drive and the starlines dissolved, plunging his and Kanan’s imperial transport in front of three Star Destroyers looming over Lothal.

               “Woah,” Rex trailed off.

               “Hey gramps, you wanna fill me in?” Kanan said.

               “A _lot_ of ships.”

               “How many?”

               “Don’t worry about that, just transmit the codes. Fast.”

               Once transmitted, Kanan and Rex made their landing on the edge of the ship’s main hangar and walked towards the ship’s ramp.

               “Comfortable?” Kanan joked as they donned their stormtrooper disguises.

               “I thought I lost a little weight…” Rex grumbled as they put on their helmets.

               The two men waited for the ramp to hiss open and then made their way down. Kanan had known better than to expect Ezra and Kallus to already be there waiting for them, but what he had not prepared for had been the vile presence he could sense walking towards them.

               “Rex, who’s walking up to us?” Kanan whispered.

               “Judging by the rank plate, a governor,” Rex whispered back. “Blue eyes. Short black hair. Looks like she’s got a stick shoved up her ass.”

 _Damn it_ , Kanan grimaced. _Governor Pryce_.

~ ▪ ~

               Ezra, Kallus, Chopper, and AP-5 sprinted down the hallway towards the hangar bay door.

               “There’s our ride,” Ezra said once the door swung open, bringing Kanan and Rex’s stolen transporter into view.

               “And there’s Governor Pryce…” Kallus said. Ezra focused his eyes. She looked so small in the distance, but he immediately recognized the short black hair and arrogant demeanor. He watched as she approached Kanan and Rex, who were both in their disguises, and started to converse with them. But within seconds, what had looked like harmless talking broke into blaster shots. Kanan was down—stunned by one of the Pryce’s troopers. Rex and Pryce then started to brawl.  

               “Chopper! Seal the doors!” Ezra said when he heard the footsteps of approaching stormtroopers behind them. The doors shut, and the four of them sprinted across the hangar. Ezra could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he made off towards the ship, fully aware of all the chaos surrounding him. Rex and Pryce were still locked in combat. Kanan was still out cold from the stun. He could feel his muscles burning from having to sprint across the hangar with the imperial girl slung over his shoulder. He noticed that Kallus had fallen considerably behind him and had disappeared out of view over towards the hangar’s left side, probably trying to stay out of sight. But amidst all the commotion surrounding him, he felt something light and delicate hit the back of his leg and then bounce off his boot. Had something fallen? he wondered. But even if he had cared, he wouldn’t have looked back. He kept pressing forward, determined to make it to the ship in time.

               He hesitated as he neared the ship’s ramp, trying to stay as far away from Rex and Pryce’s fight as he could. He watched as Pryce successfully disarmed Rex, but right before she could make her shot, the blue light of a stun gun hit her from behind, knocking her to the floor. Rex immediately took off, grabbing Kanan’s unconscious body off the floor before escaping back into the ship with Chopper and AP-5.

               “I’ve got her!” Ezra heard someone exclaim. _Kallus?_ No, the voice sounded too young. He looked up and saw a young man crouched behind a parked TIE-fighter a few feet away, his blaster still aloft. Ezra immediately recognized him from the few run-ins they had had on Lothal a few years ago—Lieutenant Lyste, the officer Kallus was trying to frame. “She’s the traitor!” Lyste yelled before looking up at Ezra, who couldn’t help but crack a smile as he watched the young imperial’s face change from an expression of victory to one of utter bewilderment.

                With the girl still draped over his shoulder, Ezra took a few steps up the ship’s ramp before turning to face him. “Bad choice,” he said, flashing him a toothy grin.

               “You!” Lyste exclaimed. “You’re the…What? _Elena_?!” His jaw dropped, and he lifted his blaster again. “You unhand her immediat—” But before Lyste could finish his command, Kallus leapt out from behind a TIE fighter and tackled him to the ground, knocking him out cold.

               “Come on! We’ve got to go,” Ezra heard Rex yell all the way from the cockpit. As the ship started to lift off the ground, Ezra looked back down at Kallus, who was busy covering his tracks by trading code cylinders with Lyste.

               “Kallus,” Ezra said as the ramp began to close. “Come on!”

               “There has been a change in plans now that _I’ve_ captured _Fulcrum_ ,” Kallus quietly enunciated, cutting his eyes towards Lyste’s unconscious face. Ezra nodded back in understanding.

               “I can do more good here,” he heard Kallus say right before the ramp sealed shut.

~ ▪ ~

               Kallus kept his blaster pointed at Ezra’s ship, his heart thundering in tune with the sound of stormtrooper boots sprinting across the hangar floor. He took great care not to shoot at the ship too directly—just close enough was all he needed in order to put on a convincing show. The hard part was over; now all he needed to do was blame Lyste.

               Once the ship was out of sight, he sheathed his blaster and looked down at his feet, where Lyste started to rustle awake.

               He yanked the young man up off the ground, trying his damnedest to appear angry and betrayed as Colonel Yularen and a group of troopers approached the scene. He could deal with his guilt of blaming an innocent man later—right now he needed to make this look as convincing as possible. “Traitor! You’re the rebel spy!” he hissed, gripping the young man tightly by the shoulders. “Troopers! Seize him!”

               “What? What are you talking about?” Lyste asked in bewilderment as two troopers took him out of Kallus’s grasp.

               “Take him away!” Yularen ordered the troopers.

               “No! Wait!” Lyste pleaded as they dragged him off. “I’m not the spy! Governor Pryce is!” Kallus watched with a stoic expression as the young man tried to resist, digging his heels into the hangar floor. His heart sank as he watched Lyste’s pitiful attempts to break free. He clenched his jaw, not allowing the guilt to break through his façade. “Tell him Kallus!” the young man continued to plead. “It’s her! She’s the one! _Kallus_!”

               The sound of Lyste shrieking his name sent a cold shiver through him, but still he remained glued in place as they dragged him off the floor and into the belly of the ship, where the poor boy would no doubt be thrown into a prison cell.

                “It seems you’ve stopped our spy from escaping, Agent Kallus.” Yularen said with an impressed grin.

                Kallus nodded as he continued to watch the troopers drag Lyste off the hangar. “Yes, but not in time to stop his accomplices from kidnapping the Grand Admiral’s officer’s aide…”

                Yularen’s expression hardened. “I’m aware.”

                “Has Admiral Thrawn been notified?” Kallus asked.

                “He has…” the old man answered. “I can’t imagine that he’s too happy about it. This could cost the Empire valuable secrets and intel if the rebels are to interrogate her…”

                Kallus cleared his throat, trying his best to quell the victorious smile threatening to break loose.

                Once Governor Pryce had been helped off the floor, the three made their way inside the ship, where Thrawn was waiting for them in his office.

~ ▪ ~

                In all his years of military service, both with the Empire and the Chiss, Thrawn rarely ever felt true, intense rage when faced with an undesirable situation or outcome. Emotionally driven motives were never the key to defeating an adversary, as they would only ever lead to reckless decision making and to revealing one’s weaknesses to the enemy. Thrawn knew this, and spent years perfecting his façade, not allowing even the smallest sliver of emotion to seep through and give everything away.

                Four imperial officers now sat in his office busy discussing the past hour’s events in great detail, completely unaware to the thrashing anger that boiled beneath his calm and cool veneer. Given the situation, however, he did allow himself a few luxuries: anger-filled eyes, intensified by the red of his sclera, and a very displeased frown. He hated anger, hated the way it caused his blood pressure to spike, and especially the way it made him feel almost helpless.

                But he would have to attend to his pent-up rage later on once the meeting was over and his new sentry droids arrived. Until then, he kept his calm demeanor fully intact as Colonel Yularen finished giving his report.

                “Lyste’s code cylinder confirms our suspicion,” Yularen said as he set it down on Thrawn’s desk. “He used it to override security, release the prisoner, and contact the rebels.”

                “I have my own proof of Lyste’s treachery,” Pryce said, rubbing her sore shoulder. “Thank you for your brave actions, Agent Kallus.”

                “Well done,” Konstantine added.

                “Unfortunately not in time to stop him from an assassination attempt on the admiral or from kidnapping Commander Rizzo. My apologies, sir,” Kallus said, bowing his head slightly.

                “None required,” Thrawn curtly said. “Her kidnapping by the rebels is an unfortunate circumstance, but I’m confident that we will have her back in imperial custody soon, as I have made sufficient progress with my search for the rebel base.” He bore his red eyes back into Kallus’s. “The Empire will make a note of your service, Agent Kallus. You may go.”

                Pryce and Konstantine stood up to leave, and Kallus turned to follow. “Thank you, Grand Admiral,” he said before exiting.

                Once the door shut behind them, Yularen and Thrawn both stood. The old colonel turned to face him, incredulity filling his eyes.

                “Things have fallen into place a little _too_ perfectly for my liking,” Yularen said, “And I don’t think Lieutenant Lyste is capable of what you’ve accused him of.”

                “I agree,” Thrawn answered, still trying his best to keep his anger abated. He turned his head at the sound of his office door hissing open and watched a trooper step inside.

                “Sir, the prisoner’s effects have arrived, as you requested.” The stormtrooper laid down a worn helmet on Thrawn’s desk. “We also found this while investigating the hangar,” the trooper held out his hand and dropped a delicate, gold bracelet in Thrawn’s hand. “It was laying not too far from where the stolen transport was. We thought it might have belonged to the kidnapped officer.”

                Thrawn clenched his jaw, immediately recognizing the gold chain and Aurebesh letters. “Thank you, Lieutenant,” he calmly said as he laid it on his desk.

                Once the trooper left, Thrawn turned his attention to the helmet, his eyes taking in the details of the jagged lines and colors decorating the top half.

                “Colonel Yularen, what do you think of this design?” Thrawn asked.

                “A beast of some kind,” Yularen looked up.

                “A stylized expression of a Loth-cat, a ubiquitous native of Lothal, and rendered by a very familiar artist.” Thrawn stepped over towards the concrete slab next to his desk, focusing on the graffiti. Laying beneath the mark of Phoenix Squadron rested a crude outline of a Loth-cat painted with pink spray paint. He ran a finger over the lines, noticing the glaring similarities shared by the two cats. “The use of this specific color, the angle of the line…this is the work of the rebel Sabine Wren. I believe this helmet belongs to her compatriot—the young Jedi, and our escaped prisoner, Ezra Bridger.”

                “Bridger?” Yularen crinkled his brow. “If Bridger was the shuttle thief, why didn’t Kallus alert us?”

                “Because, Colonel Yularen,” Thrawn said as calmly as he could, given the circumstances, “ _Kallus_ is the rebel spy, _Fulcrum_ ,” he said, almost growling the last word in anger. He had known it all along, but there was something so satisfying about finally having proof. Shock overtook the old man’s expression as Thrawn continued his accusation. “He used Lyste’s cylinder to impersonate and implicate him, and more importantly,” Thrawn continued, “He used the young Jedi’s power to gain access to my office, reprogram my droids, and kidnap my officer’s aide.” Icy venom coated his tone at the mention of Elena’s kidnapping, and he turned away from Yularen, glaring at the door.

                Yularen clenched his jaw. “I would never have suspected one of my best students…was capable of such betrayal.”

                Thrawn turned his head, still glaring with anger. “And that is why you and so many others have been deceived.” He shifted his contemptuous red eyes back towards his office door, plots and strategies already swirling in his mind. “I believe Agent Fulcrum will prove far more useful to the Empire than Kallus _ever_ was.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Thrawn is royally pissed and poor Elena has been kidnapped :(  
> Alright, what did you guys think of The Last Jedi? It has so many of us divided (personally I didn't like the plot at all, but the rest of the movie was phenomenal). Please let me know what you thought of it in the comments! And of course if you include spoilers, just put a warning.


	23. Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidnapped by rebels, Elena is brought to Atollon as a prisoner.

                 "You WHAT?"

                 Ezra flinched as Rex pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ezra…" The old clone trooper groaned, dragging out his name like an irritated parent.

                 "I didn't have a choice, Rex!" Ezra pleaded. He glimpsed down at the still-unconscious girl he had leaned against the ship's wall. He hadn't made it three steps into the ship when Rex came back, leaving Chopper and AP-5 to drive the ship and tend to Kanan, who had taken a nasty blow from Governor Pryce’s stun gun.

                 Rex shook his head, some of his anger dissipating as a pitying smile traced his lips. "You _do_ know Hera's going to kill you, right?"

                 Ezra frowned and scratched the back of his head.

                 Rex leaned down and picked the girl up. "Come on, better get her into the cabin and find some restraints before she wakes up."

                 Ezra followed Rex into the ship's lone cabin, which was nothing more than a closet-sized room with a single cot.

                 "How's Kanan?" Ezra asked as Rex laid the girl down and adjusted her head.

                 "He's fine, just now waking up." He dug through a drawer and found a small pair of restraints, and cuffed the girl's hands. "He'll probably be sore for the rest of the day. They’ve definitely given those weapons an upgrade since the Empire took over…"

                 "Good…can you make sure he doesn't come back here?"

                 Rex laughed. "He's going to find out soon enough though."

                 Ezra ran his hands through his hair and groaned.

                 "Look, Ezra,” Rex said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I'm sure everything will be ok. We'll have a place to put her once we get back to base. Maybe we can even get a few imperial secrets out of her."

                 "Maybe…" Ezra sighed.  

                 "Excuse me?" Ezra and Rex looked up and saw AP-5 standing in the doorway. "We're approaching Atol—" But Rex cut him off with a frantic wave of his hand before he could finish the planet’s name. "What's the problem?" the droid asked.

                 Rex shot a look back at the girl. "She could be faking for all we know. It's best if we refrain from saying the planet's name while she's around."

                 "Oh, right," AP-5 said. "As I was saying, we're approaching base and should be landing a few minutes."

                 "Thank you, AP," Ezra said.

                 A few seconds later, Ezra felt the shift that accompanied an exit from hyperspace. Locking the door to the cabin behind him, he made his way up to the cockpit with Rex.

                 "Ezra?" Kanan sat up in the copilot seat, looking exhausted but well. "Where's Kallus?"

                 Rex stifled a smile as he sat back down in the pilot seat, purposely excluding himself from the conversation. Ezra looked out the window towards Atollon before turning back to Kanan. With a hesitant twitch of his mouth and a claim that it was a long story, he recounted the entire tale as they descended down to base.

~ ▪ ~

                 Hera was furious, to say the least.

                 As Ezra recounted—for the third time—what had happened and why he had come back not with Kallus but with another imperial officer, Hera asked Rex to transport her to the only prison cell they had on base. It was nothing more than a small cell inside an incredibly outdated, unusable ship that Wedge and a few others managed to salvage from a recon mission a few weeks ago. No one dared to fly it, afraid that even one hyperspace trip would be enough to break it apart. Instead, the rebel team used it as a kitchen and sleeping quarters. Commander Sato also thought the ship's prison cell would serve as a good brig, just in case anyone thought about deserting. No one thought it would ever be used, especially not for a captured imperial officer.

                 Rex led the now-conscious, handcuffed girl kicking and screaming all the way to the cell and locked her inside. He shut the ship's ramp behind him, but not before a colorful strand of profanities followed him on the way out.

                 "Make sure to turn the gravity locks on for that ship,” Hera said to a couple of rebel lieutenants. “I don't want her getting any ideas just in case she escapes…" She whipped her head around. "And you," her angry eyes bore into Ezra. "Care to tell me just what _exactly_ you and Kallus were thinking bringing her back here?"

                 "She couldn't stay on that ship, Hera!" Ezra pleaded. "She saw Kallus and I enter Thrawn's office. She would have reported us both and would have known we had tampered with Thrawn's map!"

                 Hera glared. "I did not _ask_ you to tamper with Thrawn's map! I gave you specific orders to retrieve Kallus and bring him back to base."

                 "He wouldn't come along, Hera. He told me at the last minute that he wasn't coming and that he could do more good for us by staying in the Empire. It was Kallus's idea to erase our base's planet from Thrawn's databank. It'll keep us safe!"

                 "And for how long?!" Hera snapped, silencing whatever argument Ezra was about to dispense. He paused, imaging Thrawn walking up to his map and immediately noticing the missing planet. But there had been so many others, surely it would still buy them some time before he inevitably uncovered their hiding place. “Ezra,” Hera sighed, “Look around you.” She gestured out towards the mountains of supplies, ammunition, and ships stretched across the base. “We are preparing ourselves for a major strike against Lothal’s TIE factory. That girl will be nothing but a liability to us until then, and I cannot afford her escaping or jeopardizing our plans if given the opportunity.”

                 “She won’t, Hera!” Ezra insisted. “In fact, she could be a great deal of help to us.” Hera raised an incredulous brow. “We can use her to gain some imperial intel…and we can use her as a hostage against Thrawn!”

                 Hera turned towards the ship. "How do you know Thrawn even _cares_ about her? Heartless bastard could probably care less if she lived or died. That’s how all imperials are…" she trailed.

                 "She's his officer's aide," Ezra said. "Maybe that means something."

                 “I’ll talk to her.”

                 Hera and Ezra turned, neither of them having heard his approaching footsteps. Ezra narrowed his eyes, already noticing that something was off about Kanan. His retelling of the mission’s events had seemed to set him on edge, and he had been all too quick to exit the ship as soon as it landed. He stayed gone for a while, saying he needed some air and that the effects of the stun weapon were making him nauseous. Ezra knew better. Now Kanan was giving off an aura of nervous worry, anxiety, and…sadness.

                 “Kanan, I heard what happened,” Hera said. “Are you ok?”

                 “I am.”

                 “So you think you might be able to loosen some secrets from this girl?” Hera asked.

                 Kanan paused, turning his head slightly towards the prison ship. ”Maybe…” he exhaled. “It’ll probably be best to question her after our missions tomorrow though.”

                 “Missions?” Ezra asked.

                 “Senator Organa wants us to rendezvous with a rebel sector tomorrow,” Hera turned to Ezra. “He’s trusting us to supply them with fuel.”

                 “Kanan, are you coming along?” Ezra asked.

                 “No, I’ll be leading a supply run tomorrow, but I’ll be back about a cycle after you return.” Kanan frowned. “In fact…I better start helping the team load up the ship.”

                 Hera and Ezra watched him walk out towards the supply area, disappearing behind the towers of fuel and ammunition.

                 “We should start preparing too,” Hera said. “We leave at dawn.”

                 With one last glance towards the prison ship, Hera took off towards the _Ghost_ , leaving Ezra alone with thoughts of Kanan’s behavior and their mysterious new prisoner.

~ ▪ ~

                 It had only taken an hour for his new sentry droids to arrive, and Thrawn had wasted no time with attending to his anger. Minutes melded into hours, rage dwindled into grief and acceptance with each punch and swing of his staff. It wasn’t until sweat dripped from his face and his lungs gasped for breath when he finally stopped and allowed himself a brief respite. His muscles burned with protest, and his dark blue hair had long fallen out of its otherwise smooth and kempt style.

                 Once he calmed, he cleaned up and redressed himself in his Grand Admiral uniform, even though the evening had begun. He approached his desk and brought his holomap to life. He needed to do something, anything that would bring him closer to finding the rebels and Elena.

_Elena._

                 He glanced at the small bracelet still sitting near the edge of his desk. He felt a small ache in his chest as he thought of that cold spot in his bed that she normally occupied.

                 He knew grieving would not bring her back. Instead, he tore his eyes away from the bracelet and lost himself in his work, determined to narrow down the remaining ninety-four planets as quickly as he could.

                 As the night pressed on, he decided to leave her bracelet there on his desk as a sign of motivation. If time had not been the essence before, it was now. And he could not afford to lose one second of it as long as she was gone.

~ ▪ ~

                 Hours prattled on. Meals and bathroom breaks came and went. And still there was no sign of Ezra or the rest of Phoenix Squadron. Elena sat with her back against the prison cell wall, a surly expression on her face as she kept replaying that second-long scene of Agent Kallus shooting her over and over in her mind.

 _Just like in that dream_ , she thought. With a long groan, she shook her head at her own stupidity. The Force had been trying to warn her the entire time, but she had been too blind to see it.

                 There was no denying it now though. Kallus _was_ Fulcrum—that much she knew. The bastard really had some nerve.

                 And to make matters worse, her bracelet-the only belonging she had from her past- was missing. She immediately noticed the absent weight from her wrist. She tried not to think too hard about where it ended up, but it didn't stop the tears from flowing.

                 She drew her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes, feeling about as empty, livid, and pathetic as she had felt living as a street rat on Coruscant. It was bad enough that she was now in enemy hands, but what truly stung was how much of a failure she felt like to Thrawn. Not only would he have to continue his search without her, he now carried the burden of rescuing her from a base he had every intention of obliterating. _If I’m even still_ alive _till then_ … She shook her head at the grisly thought. These rebels didn’t seem like the type to kill out of spite, but she was more than expecting them to try and siphon information out of her.

                 “Here’s your dinner.”

                 Elena looked up as a rebel officer fed her tray of food through a small sliver at the bottom of the cell’s door and scurried away.

                 As she chewed her bland, ration-grade meal, her thoughts returned back to Phoenix Squadron, and she grimaced. What the hell were they doing anyway? It had been well more than a whole day since they had locked her up. If they meant to interrogate her, they sure were taking their sweet time.

                 One thing was certain though—she needed to escape. She wasn't about to give up now, especially when she had the luxury of learning about the enemy's territory. If she could learn enough information and escape back to Thrawn, he could have the rebels decimated in minutes. All she needed was the planet's name and the names of other sympathizing groups and leaders.

                 Setting her tray aside, she walked up to the bars and peered down at the lock on her cell and sighed. It needed a key, one that only the rebel leaders would be carrying. Maybe when one of them finally decided to show themselves, she could use the Force and snatch it off of them?

                 She gasped at her realization.

                 Maybe she didn't even _need_ the key. Could the Force be used to turn the inner workings of the lock?

                 She settled back down to the ground and closed her eyes. It hadn’t taken her but a few weeks of self-training to figure out that she had once been very skilled and very familiar with the Force. It was a power capable of many impossibilities, perhaps even manipulating a locked door. With a clear mind, she reached out to that familiar ebb and flow that surrounded everything in the universe and focused.

                 The presence of rebel workers and officers immediately came to mind, buzzing around the base in a flurry of activity. There were much less people than she thought. Perhaps the majority of them were off on missions? That would explain Phoenix Squadron's absence. She focused harder, searching the vicinity for Ezra’s presence, but she picked up something else instead. The faintest tugging sensation pulled at her conscious from somewhere out in the distance. It felt so small, like a dull light in the distance compared to the wildfire of energy given off by the nearby rebel workers. As soon as she acknowledged it, the tugging seemed to latch onto her, gnawing at the back of her mind like it was calling out to her.

                  She shoved it aside, turning her attention to the lock in front of her. She reached out again, putting all her focus on the lock and its inward mechanisms. She had nearly broken her concentration from the difficulty, but after what felt like twenty minutes, she finally heard the sound of the lock giving way and the door squeak open.

                  She crept out, checking the ship for rebels before proceeding to the cockpit.

 _No_ , she thought. _Either this ship doesn’t fly or they locked it down_. They wouldn’t have been stupid enough to imprison her on a working ship.

                  She spent the next few minutes formulating a plan, knowing her best option for escape would be to steal a ship, preferably one with a hyperdrive. She knew it could take days until she could make a move, and she’d need somewhere to hide out until then—somewhere as far away from base as possible. From what little she had seen of the planet, she knew she’d have to set up camp and take as much food and water as possible. Within a few minutes, she found a knapsack in the ship’s supply closet and gathered as much food, water bottles, toiletries, and extra clothes as the bag could hold. With the pack securely around her shoulders, she searched for the escape hatch and soon found herself underneath the belly of the ship, peering out from behind one of the bulky gravity locks.

                  It was nearly sundown, and she silently rejoiced in knowing she would soon be able to utilize the darkness and shadows of night to her advantage.

                  She scanned the base’s layout, noticing how perfect the stacks of supply crates would be for sneaking, hiding, and salvaging weapons and supplies from. She tugged on the backpack, pressing it hard to her body as she slipped out from under the ship and sprinted to one of the supply crate-towers as silent as a serpent.

                  It didn’t take her long to realize how impossible it would be to open the crates without drawing a ridiculous amount of attention to herself. She instead kept on sneaking and searching, weaving in and out between the crate-towers like an assassin.

                  She crinkled her brow as she pressed on, noticing how eerily quiet the base was and how the mountains of supply boxes seemed to stretch on forever. It only took a second for it to click in her mind. The mountains of endless supplies, the zero-effort it took to sneak pass the distracted workers—the rebels were planning something big, and whatever it was would probably happen sooner rather than later.

                  When she finally made it to the base’s north perimeter, she felt her boot brush against something metallic. Stifling a surprised gasp, she looked down and saw a pile of staff-sized sensor rods laying on the ground, and an idea took flight. The rods were the same size and weight as Thrawn’s exercise staffs back on the _Chimaera_ , and she had learned enough techniques and skills to effectively protect herself. She took hold of one, already feeling confident about her new-found weapon, and made her way back towards the empty space where the ships were kept.

                  Now all she needed was a get-away vehicle. But as she turned her attention back to her search, she heard the sound of two ships making their descent towards base. Panic-stricken, she looked up, watching as the ships made their landing. One of them was the _Ghost_.

~ ▪ ~

                  As soon as Kanan felt his ship land, he jumped down to the ground and listened for the hiss of the _Ghost’s_ exit ramp.

                  “Hera!” he called out, immediately sensing her presence as she descended down the ramp and made her way over to him. “I thought you’d be back by now,” he said. “Did something go wrong?”

                  Hera recounted the mission, telling Kanan how Gold Squadron had needed their refuel in order to smuggle Senator Mon Mothma onto Dantooine. After a brutal encounter with an imperial ambush, they not only delivered her safely, but had more rebel cells answer their call for a more unified stand against the Empire.

                  “Do you think they’ll aid us with our attack on Lothal?” Kanan asked.

                 “We have their full support, and General Dodonna’s Massassi Group will be here late next week to assist us with the attack.” Kanan could feel the glowing happiness in Hera’s voice, wishing that he could see it on her face.

                 “And more supplies should be rolling in until then,” Ezra chimed in as he walked up to Kanan and Hera. “Also…since we’re all back…” he trailed off, his face growing more solemn as he eyed the prison ship. “Should we try and…”

                 “Yes,” Hera answered. “Kanan,” she turned to face him, “Ezra and I talked on our way back here, and we think now is the best time to start interrogating our prisoner. With General Dodonna on his way and all the planning I need to do for next week, we won’t have much time other than today.”

                 Kanan felt a sting of adrenaline touch his heart. He thought his time away on the supply mission would have prepared him for their inevitable confrontation, but it had done very little to ease his burgeoning nervousness.

                 He knew it was her.

                 Even after all those years, the familiarity of her presence had not slipped away from his memory. But something had still felt off about it when he had sensed her back on that imperial transporter.

                 Nothing as trivial as age or her imperial allegiance—which he intended to question her about—could have altered the feel of her presence that much. Something traumatic or life altering must have happened to her between the time he last saw her and now. _Something I could have prevented, had I not been so stupid…_ he clenched his jaw and silently cursed himself, feeling years of suppressed guilt tidal wave over him.

                 She had been angry. So incredibly angry. And maybe even more so now.

                 “Kanan?”

                 Ezra’s voice yanked him out of his troubled thoughts, and he quickly thought of a lie before they could ask him if everything was alright. “Sorry, I…I’ve been interrogated before. It troubles me that I’ll be on the other end of it this time.”

                 “It won’t be anything like that,” Hera said as she and Ezra turned and walked towards the prison ship. Kanan reluctantly followed behind, knowing full well that he would have to explain everything to them once they stepped inside and the girl recognized him. But would he even be able to do it? For ten years he kept all the hurt and sadness to himself, not even confiding in Hera about it.

                 She continued on, “I was thinking maybe you could—“

                 “Something’s wrong,” Ezra said, stopping in his tracks. “…I can’t sense her presence.”

                 Kanan’s heart dropped. “I can’t either.” The two ran inside the ship, their fears confirmed as they beheld the open cell door and half eaten meal on the ground.

                 "How could she have gotten past the lock?" Hera asked once she caught up with them. She turned to Ezra. "I thought you said she wasn't that strong with her powers?"

                 "She isn't!" Ezra said. "I have no idea how…getting past something like a lock takes a lot of focus…"

                 Kanan exhaled slowly through his nose, and blurted out a reply before he could change his mind. "It's because she _is_ trained in her powers.”

                 "You think so?" Ezra asked.

                 "I know so.”

                 “But I felt her presence back on Ryloth and at the TIE-factory,” Ezra argued, his voice muddled with confusion. “She _isn’t_ trained. And when I first saw her, it was as though she were just beginning to discover her abilities.”

                 "No," Kanan answered solemnly. "She's trained in her powers."

                 "How could you know this?" Ezra asked.

                 Kanan opened his mouth to reply, but a brush of something against his mind stopped him. He focused, sensing something slinking around nearby. Something fleeting and familiar.

                 “She’s still on the base,” Kanan said as he tore through the ship towards the exit ramp.

                 Hera and Ezra followed, calling after him.

                 “I sense her too!” Ezra yelled as he caught up. The two made their way towards the presence when Ezra finally spotted her. “No! She’s making way towards the speeders!”

                 Kanan cursed, leaving Ezra behind as he bolted towards her. Though his eyes saw nothing, the knot of fear and anxiety brewing inside her shined like a beacon as she sprinted towards the base’s edge.

                 “Wait! Stop!” Kanan yelled, increasing his pace when he sensed she had made it over to the speeders.

                 Couldn’t she recognize the sound of his voice? The feel of his presence? Even after ten years, was she still so angry with him that running away was far better than facing him?

                 “Please stop!” Kanan continued to plead. The bike hummed to life as she powered it up.  

                 “Stop! ELENA!” he bellowed.

                 She froze, the briefest second of hesitation gripping her before she could step on the gas pedal. Kanan sensed it, feeling the fear and confusion in her eyes as turned back to look at him.

                 “Please!” Kanan gasped for air as he slowed to a stop only a few feet away from her. “Don’t go. I just want to talk.”

                 They stood as still as the dry, hot air around them, her mind as firm and unreadable as a faded stone tablet. Frozen in that one second of hesitation, hope began returning to Kanan. Hope that she would dismount the bike, power it off, and come walking back towards him so he could finally apologize for what he did in the past. He opened his mouth, but before he could breathe his long-awaited apology, he heard the hum of the speeder fade into the distance sunset, and his heart sank.

                 He collapsed to his knees, running frustrated fingers through his sweaty, brown hair. _Even after all this time_ , he thought, _she still hasn’t forgiven me. Or maybe she’s even forgotten me…_

                 A single tear leaked out from under his mask.

                 “Kanan!”

                 Hera and Ezra caught up to him, and he stood back up, wiping the tear away so they wouldn’t see.

                 “Kanan?” Hera said softly. “Kanan, please tell me what’s wrong.”

                 “Kanan, how did you know her name?” Ezra asked. “Who is she?”

                 “Someone I should have told you about a long time ago...” He paused. “But I just couldn’t bring myself to talk about it, not even to you, Hera.” He could feel the burning questions and concern emanating from her green eyes. “To this day, I still grieve over what happened.”

                 She took hold of his hand, her gentle grip translating to him her love and understanding. He squeezed back, feeling even more terrible for not telling her sooner.

                 They walked back to the _Ghost_ , and once they all settled into their seats along with Chopper and Zeb, Kanan told them everything. 


	24. Lost Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena escapes from Chopper Base while Thrawn narrows down his search for Phoenix Squadron.

                  “Kanan, I…” Hera sighed when he finished his story. “I’m so sorry…”

                  Ezra and Zeb frowned as they looked at each other. Chopper seemed to deflate a little, letting out a dejected warble.

                  “No, I’m sorry,” Kanan said. “Sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner. Sorry that I didn’t tell _any_ of you sooner.” He glanced towards Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper. Clutching his elbows, he let out a sigh as he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. But no sooner had it disappeared only to be replaced by another far more ancient one, crushing down upon him again. “I need to find her,” he said, as if it were out of the question.

                  “Kanan—“ 

                  “No Hera,” he cut in, “I need to find her. So I can tell her I’m sorry, so I can hopefully convince her to join us.” He shook his head, “I’m still baffled that she would join the Empire in the first place...” He was already down the _Ghost’s_ ramp before Hera caught him by the sleeve.

                  “Kanan, we’ll find her,” she said with conviction. “But there’s very little you can do with it being nighttime at the moment.” Kanan turned back to face her, frowning in agreement. Even if he still had his eyesight, the moonlight would have offered him no help out there in the wilds of Atollon.

                  He could feel the tremble in Hera’s fingertips as she still held his arm. A small, hesitating sound escaped her lips before she said, “Kanan, I know you don’t want to hear this, but…do you…do you think you can still trust her?” He straightened a little. “You haven’t seen her in ten years, and she’s a part of the Empire now. Not to mention she’s Thrawn’s right-hand person—“

                  He let out a sharp exhale, bringing Hera’s sentence to a halt. “I have to at least _try_ and talk to her,” he said. “I’m never going to truly feel at peace until I do.”

                  Hera nodded. “I’ll ask Commander Sato if we can spare a few scouts to go out and search for her.”

                  Beneath the mask, Kanan lifted his brows. “Are you sure? With the attack coming up next week, we’ll need all the help we can get…”

                  “I want to help you find her too, Kanan,” she said. “I hate seeing you so distraught. And who knows, maybe you _can_ convince her to join our side.”

                  He let out a breath, hoping for everyone’s sake that he’d be able to. He tried not to think about her lost out in the wilderness…alone. He couldn’t have been more grateful that she had stolen a sensor rod—at least now the spiders would leave her alone. Then his eyes widened as he remembered something.

_Bendu._

                  Maybe Kanan wouldn’t have to search for her at all. The Bendu would be able to sense her presence, and maybe he’d tell Kanan if he had seen her or not.

                  And if that could keep him from having to fruitlessly waste time searching for her on his own, then he could still help Hera with the attack on Lothal.

                  “Then I’ll return the favor,” he said. “If you’re willing to spare a few workers to go out and search for her, then I’ll do everything I can to help you prepare for next week, along with helping complete the worker’s tasks while they’re gone.” Having a search party would definitely not hurt, just in case Elena miraculously bypassed the Bendu. For a second he thought about telling Hera, but somehow he doubted that she would even believe him if he told her a gargantuan, Force-sensitive beast was living only a mile away from camp.

                  “Kanan—“

                  He put a hand on her shoulder. “This mission is important Hera. Not just for the Rebellion, but for you too. I have every intention of helping you.” He could feel the warmth of her smile, envisioning it in his mind. “I can look for Elena in my spare time. Besides…” he turned his head towards the wilderness beyond, “I don’t think she’ll get too far.”

~ ▪ ~

                  Elena didn’t stop the speeder until the tank read half empty and the sun had nearly vanished behind the dusty, red horizon. Within minutes, and by sheer luck alone, she stumbled upon a small, quiet cave and set up her meager camp.

                  She watched the full moon rise above as she nibbled on a ration pack meal, savoring the warmth of her tiny campfire and the silence of the mysterious, rugged world surrounding her.

                  She could no longer sense any signs of civilization or human life, only the presence of the spiders. Huge, horrifying things—but they kept their distance. The sensor rod, for whatever reason, kept them from approaching her, and the first thing she did when she set up camp was plant the rod in the sand just outside the cave’s mouth, and she watched as they scurried off into the night.

                  She saved what food she had leftover, knowing her resources were limited. Hopefully running out of food and water wouldn’t become an issue, since she had every intention of returning to base and stealing a ship.

                  Reaching for her pack, she took out some salvaged toiletries, removed her clothing, and began washing herself. As she ran the sanitation bar over her arms and chest, she let her mind wander back to her escape from base, and back to the mysterious Jedi who tried to stop her.

_Kanan Jarrus._

                  His voice had rattled the cobwebs at the back of her mind, had tugged at the chains encasing her memories. She had heard it before, like a memory from a dream.

 _Could I…could I have once_ …known _him?_   She fidgeted with the thought as she toweled off and redressed into a clean rebel uniform she had snagged from the ship.

                  As the embers of her fire began to die down, she replayed his voice over and over in her mind, desperately hoping it would conjure up even a second’s worth of a memory. But nothing emerged, and she instead projected her thoughts and feelings outward into the night.

                  She knew the base lay to the south, but she sensed nothing, and there were no spiders around so long as she had her sensor rod. The only sensation she could feel was that same odd tugging she had felt back on the prison ship. It felt sharper now, feeling closer than it had been before. Even as her eyelids began to droop, she still felt it gnawing at the back of her mind.

                  Intriguing, she thought, but maybe not something worth risking her safety over. She only had half a tank of gas left, and she would need it for her journey back to base. Investigating that strange sensation would only jeopardize her true mission: returning to Thrawn.

                  A tear leaked out the corner of her eye as she turned her sleepy gaze towards the sky. A swirl of brilliant stars flickered above, her lover but a mere speck within their unfathomable, glittering dance. What she would give to feel his body pressed against hers, to feel his strong arms enveloping her and rescuing her from this cold, filthy desert. Now he was parsecs away, hidden deep within the galaxy laid bare before her, threatening to swallow her into its untamed vastness.

                  As she drifted off to sleep, she soon found herself among those stars, letting them whisk her any which way until she was certain she had flown past every planet in existence.

~ ▪ ~

                  Eight.

                  Only eight planets remained on Thrawn’s holomap, and perhaps today he would finally narrow it down to one.

                  Seven days had passed since Elena’s kidnapping, and Thrawn had done everything in his power to speed along his search. And in doing so, he uncovered far more valuable information than he could have hoped for.

                  Thanks to the efforts of his spies and probe droids, Thrawn now had the hyperspace trajectory coordinates of General Dodonna’s fleet, who was no doubt in route to assist Phoenix Squadron with some sort of military effort. Thrawn grimaced, knowing exactly where the rebels would strike—the TIE factory on Lothal. They meant to jeopardize his TIE Defenders before mass production could even begin.

                  But once the dotted red line denoting Dodonna’s fleet had cut through Thrawn’s map, he immediately knew something was wrong.

                  None of the remaining eight planets intersected with the fleet’s trajectory, which could have only meant that someone _had_ tampered with his map the day Elena was kidnapped.

                  His crimson eyes sharpened with contempt at the thought of Kallus and Bridger. Not only had they stolen Elena, they had also meant to make a fool out of him.

                  It would be their last mistake.

                  He studied the dotted line, noticing how it cut through the Lothal sector on the east side of his map. Activating a compartment in his desk, he took out a small data chip and plugged it into his holoport; and soon his office filled up with Lothalian art and space charts.

                  Almost as an afterthought, he brought up one last painting, displaying it in the center of the room. The portrait of a young Hera Syndulla and her family smiled back at him, and he retrieved her kalikori from its pedestal.

                  For two hours he spent studying his art and his enemy, determined to find the hidden planet by the end of the day. He also set up a private meeting with Governor Pryce, Admiral Konstantine, and Grand Moff Tarkin so he could warn them of the rebel’s impending attack before Dodonna could reach the Lothal sector, which—according to his scouts—would be later tonight. With the meeting securely set at 2100 hours, he continued his work until he finally narrowed it down to two prime suspects: Borah, a small planet near the edge of the sector, and Atollon, a mysterious world not found on any imperial charts or records.

                  Now he only needed one final piece to solve the puzzle. The probes would never make it to the planets in time for his meeting, and he wouldn’t risk sending his fleet off to investigate only to destroy their chance at the element of surprise.

                  No, he had a much more valuable tool—Agent Kallus. A cruel smile flashed across his lips.  

                  Why waste time and resources when _Kallus_ could lead him right to the rebels? It would be a more than fitting punishment for the ISB agent’s traitorous acts.

                  A vicious plot took form in his mind until his eyes wandered down to the Syndulla clan’s kalikori clutched in his hand. The art of his adversary—its muted colors and sharp edges a striking antithesis to the loud and asymmetrical Rizzo kalikori. He frowned as Elena crossed his mind, wondering how she was fairing. He took another look at the kalikori before glancing back up at the smiling Twi’lek girl in front of him.

                  Hera Syndulla was not a murderer, nor an interrogator. Perhaps, even after all this time, he would find Elena in one piece.

                  “Grand Admiral?”

                  He turned at the sound of Commander Faro’s voice as it sounded through his comm port.

                  “Yes, Commander?”

                  “I apologize—I know you are busy right now, sir. But I have news regarding Lord Vader’s visit to your ship. I regret to say that he has changed the time of his visit from tomorrow to today at 1500 hours, which is twenty minutes from now.”

                  “Thank you, Commander. Have you notified all crewmembers chosen for inspection?”

                  “I have,” she answered. “Everyone is present and accounted for except for your officer’s aide, Commander Rizzo.”

                  Thrawn narrowed his eyes. “Ah yes. Lord Vader is aware of what happened. You may proceed. I will be down shortly.”

                  “Yes, Grand Admiral,” she said before the comm clicked off.

~ ▪ ~

                  From his spot near the edge of the hangar, Kallus took one last glance over the lines of imperial personnel stretched out before him. Not one wrinkle shown on any of their uniforms, and every pair of eyes stared straight ahead, all of them void of expression and individuality. _Like pawns on a chessboard_... he thought grimly. It wouldn’t last though. Soon Lord Vader’s ship would land inside, and Kallus would watch as perfectly groomed toy soldiers broke under his horrifying gaze.  

                  He turned his head at the sound of Commander Faro’s footsteps as she made her way down the aisle of inspectees and stopped just in front of the first line. A distant hum of a ship’s engine filled the hangar’s silence, and an imperial transport made its landing not too far from where Kallus stood. The hiss of the ship lowering its ramp sent a shiver down his spine, and he took in a breath as a dark-clad figure stalked his way down to the ground and right in front of Commander Faro.

                  "Lord Vader," Commander Faro greeted with a small quiver in her voice.

                  Vader waited to respond, the unsettling sound of his breathing filling the empty silence. "Commander Faro,” he finally said, “Are all the officers listed for inspection present and accounted for?"

                  "Yes, Lord Vader,” she answered. A hesitant sound escaped her lips, “All…except one."

                  Kallus clenched his teeth together turned his eyes away, focusing on the legion of imperials before him.

                  "Who is missing?" Vader asked.

                  "Grand Admiral Thrawn's officer's aide, Lieutenant Commander Rizzo. She was…kidnapped by rebel infiltrators last week."

                  Three long seconds passed before he replied. "How unfortunate.”

                  "Yes sir, it is."

                  "No," Vader said. "How unfortunate that the Grand Admiral must waste his time with incompetent fools who cannot even stop a rebel infiltration on their own ship."

                  Faro flinched as if he had struck her.

                  "I read the report," Vader asserted. “It appears that you had a traitor among your crew.”

                  “Lord Vader, I—“

                  “Save your apologies, Commander,” Vader interrupted. “And hope that this…incident…does not result in the rebels gaining indispensable imperial secrets.”

                  Kallus slowly exhaled, desperately hoping that Vader wouldn’t make his way down to the ship’s prisons to confront Lyste. He hadn’t allowed himself to think too much about the young man he had heartlessly framed, afraid that the guilt would break him apart.

                  The air was so thick with tension and silence, Kallus was almost grateful for the sound of Thrawn’s approaching footsteps. The admiral walked calmly down the center aisle with his hands clasped neatly behind his back. The relief on Faro’s face was painfully obvious when Vader turned away from her and addressed Thrawn.

                  “Grand Admiral,” Vader said. “Thank you for being so accommodating with the inspection’s time change.”

                  “Of course, Lord Vader,” Thrawn answered calmly. “Do you require anything before you begin?”

                  “I do not,” Vader replied. “I would, however, like to meet with you in your office after it’s done. I am told that you have made considerable progress in locating one of the rebel bases.”

                  “I would be more than happy to share with you my progress, Lord Vader,” Thrawn answered.

                  “Excellent, Grand Admiral,” Vader said. “Then let us begin.”

                  As Thrawn took his spot next to Commander Faro while Vader walked down the lines, Kallus kept a close eye on the blue-skinned admiral. He had learned only recently that Thrawn would be leaving within the next two hours for an urgent meeting down on Lothal. That could only mean he had news to share with Governor Pryce…news that the rebels might find valuable if he were able to eavesdrop.

                  He quickly turned away when he saw Thrawn slide his gaze over to him. He could almost feel the daggers those two bloodstains were shooting towards him as he tried to busy himself with watching a young, female ensign shake nervously beneath Vader’s frightening eye.

                  He kept his eyes forward, not daring another look at the admiral. He was beginning to think Thrawn still suspected him, even after everything he had done to make him think otherwise. And if that was the case, he was going to have to be extra careful tonight and slip down to Capital City before Thrawn. Already an idea took form in his mind; and as soon as the inspection ended, he discreetly made preparations for his trip down to the capital.

~ ▪ ~

                  After a brief and bizarre fifteen minutes, Thrawn walked with Vader back to his office, his mind trying to surmise what exactly the Emperor’s right hand man was hoping to accomplish with these inspections.

                  All Vader had done was walk down a few of the lines, giving almost no regard to each individual crewmember…at least, not to the men. From Thrawn’s spot at the front of the hangar, he had quickly noticed how all twenty women he had under his command—excluding Elena—were present for the inspection. Vader had seemed to pay a little more attention to them, slowing his pace as he approached each one.

                  As enigmatic as his armor, Darth Vader continued to elude Thrawn and his mastery of reading body language. And that would either make him a very powerful ally, or a very deadly enemy.

                  Once in the office, Thrawn activated his holomap, which now displayed General Dodonna’s trajectory and the two planets left to investigate.

                  “I am more than pleased with your progress, Grand Admiral,” Vader said. “The kidnapping of one of your officers seems to have provided the right amount of motivation for your search.”

                  Thrawn turned back to face him, his expression as placid as a sheet of ice. “With the rebel’s growth in numbers and influence, we cannot afford any imperial secrets to fall into their hands.” He turned his head back to the map. “I’ve informed Governor Pryce and Governor Tarkin of my progress and intend to meet with them in a few hours…”

                  But when he looked back at Vader, he saw that the dark lord’s attention was focused not on him, but on something sitting on his desk. He followed his gaze directly to Elena’s bracelet, which was still sitting in the same spot Thrawn had left it the day Elena was kidnapped.  

                  “What is this?” Vader asked as he lifted the delicate gold chain with his menacing, gloved hand. He placed it in his right palm and straightened out the aurebesh letters so the name shown more clearly.

                  “It belonged to Commander Rizzo,” Thrawn answered, grimacing as Vader continued to handle it. “My troopers found it in the hangar after she was taken.”

                  Vader continued his wordless study, and an eerie quiet filled Thrawn’s office, fragmented only by the dark lord’s breathing. His expression was completely hidden beneath the mask, but from the way he stood and how quiet he had become, Thrawn inferred that he may have been intrigued. As to why though, remained a mystery.

                  Seconds passed, and Thrawn began to wonder if he would speak at all. He continued to regard the dark lord with cold, curious eyes until finally he spoke.

                  “How…interesting,” Vader mused. He placed the bracelet back down on Thrawn’s desk and turned back to face him. “Thank you for your time, Grand Admiral. I do hope that you’ll find your officer’s aide and the rebel base soon.”

                  With a swish of his cape, Darth Vader exited Thrawn’s office and made his way back to the hangar.

~ ▪ ~

                  “No…” Elena hoarsely begged through cracked lips.

                  She stopped dead in her tracks at the endless desert stretching out before her, hope dissipating faster than the water from her body.

                  How long had it been since she ran away from the base? She couldn’t even keep up with the time. The days were shorter here, as hot and relentless as the nights were long, cold, and cruel. And just like her perception of time, her sense of direction had been skewed too, leaving her stranded in the middle of a lifeless desert with an empty tank of fuel. She had spent the past few days slowly moving back towards base…or so she thought. Her perfect plan was now as dead as the speeder she had left behind, and all she had now was a ration stick and half a bottle of water.

                  She had been a fool to think this would be easy. After all, she had survived living off the streets of Coruscant. At least on the streets there had always been food and people to steal from. Out here, there was nothing—truly and utterly nothing.

                  She sank to her knees.

 _No_ , she cried. _Not like this_.

                  A hot breeze had picked up, carrying wisps of sand that clung to her hair and uniform.

_Anything but this._

                 She clutched the collar of the last rebel uniform she was down too, digging her nails into the ugly orange material as she tried to clear her mind.

                 But when she reached out with the Force, she felt nothing. Not even the smallest spark of human life lit up in her mind. The only thing she could feel was that annoying, incessant tugging sensation she had felt since her imprisonment, and it had since given her a pounding headache. She truly hated it, unwilling to trust where it would lead her after experiencing the horrors of what dwelled on this planet.

                 No matter how hard she tried, she could not sense anything outside of the tugging, and she realized with grave horror that she was truly alone out in the desert.

                 Sands started to kick up in the wind, embedding themselves into her hair and skin. She kneeled in solemn silence as the sands and dust continued to chafe her skin, slapping her from all sides.

                 A storm was brewing, and no shelter was in sight.

                 Yet still she kneeled on both knees, the calm before the storm, until a single tear broke loose and she cried out to the wind, losing herself in all-consuming hopelessness.

                 “Please, no!” she shouted between sobs. “Not like this! I DON’T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS!”

                 The desert swallowed up her cries and returned with only more gusts of wind and sand, and soon a small sandstorm engulfed her.

                 Not even one of those horrific spiders were around. She was completely and utterly alone, weeping on all fours as if she were vomiting.  

                 Sand coated her hair, her skin. It chafed every part of her, mixing in with her tears and embedding itself into every part of her being. Wind and dust danced around her, as if they were trying to whittle her down until she was nothing more than a pile of pathetic bones.

                 Lost on this hellish planet of burning sun and sand, she gave in. Burying her face in her arms to protect herself, she broke down into more violent sobs as her mind brought forth every facet of grief and sadness she had faced.

                 She cried because the enemy had kidnapped her, and would probably have killed or tortured her before anyone could come to her rescue. She cried because she was separated from Thrawn, a man who she truly and deeply loved, and now a man who would never get to know how she truly felt. She cried for the memories she would never regain, for the family she would never know.

                 But most of all, she cried because she was lost. A lost girl wandering the desert, with no past, and now seemingly no future. She would die on this unforgiving planet, and Thrawn would never find her. Even if he found this planet and destroyed the rebels, he would spend the rest of his life trying to find her, forever searching for bones lost beneath the sands and dust for all eternity.

                 When it seemed that no more tears would form, she sank into numbness and distracted herself by reaching out once more with the Force. Still, no life out there in the distance; just that damned tugging. But at least it was something—something to keep her company while she suffered nature’s wrath. She directed all her focus on it, trying to make sense of what it could be.  

                 And within a few minutes, the storm started to dissipate, and an ancient voice sounded in her mind.

                 “ _Don’t be afraid_ ,” said the strange, resonating voice.  

                 Her head shot up. The storm was nearly gone, but there was no one in sight. “I’m. Going. Insane,” she said in a cracked, raw voice.  

 _“You are not insane_ ,” it answered.

                 Her eyes widened as she lifted herself off the ground. “No…no. I’m dehydrated. I’m…I’m just imaging this.”

                 “ _No, I am real,”_ it said. “ _And I can help you, if you are willing_.”

                 She paused. The voice certainly _felt_ tangible. And what choice other than dying alone in the desert did she have? “H-How can you help me?”

                 “ _Come to me_.”

                 She gazed out in the distance, noticing that the storm had died down completely. She looked off into the direction the tugging had originated from. That voice had come from there too, she felt it.

                 Elena had never been one for irrationality. It had taken her a long time before she had finally accepted her Force abilities. And now a _voice_ out in the distance was calling to her from within her own mind. She clenched her jaw. After all, she had ultimately accepted her Force powers. Would accepting this voice’s invitation for help be any different?

                 Maybe she was insane from hunger and dehydration. Maybe it was a trick from the rebels.

                 But it was either go to it, or stay here and die.

                 She let the tugging guide her in the right direction, and soon she disappeared into the desert’s sun-drenched horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The meeting Thrawn is going to will be the meeting we see at the beginning of "Zero Hour."  
> We have ~about~ 3 chapters to go before the end of season 3 (part 1 of this story). We will find out who Elena is and about her past in the chapter after the next :) Hope you guys are excited. 
> 
> Also, Rebels comes back on in a few days!!


	25. Zero Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vader returns to Palpatine. Thrawn makes two important discoveries. The rebels prepare for battle, and Elena finds the key to her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **It's very important for this chapter to remember that Kanan gave the Bendu something that once belonged to Elena (it happens back in chapter 20). That's all I'll say for now. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy :)

               As soon as Darth Vader left the _Chimaera’s_ hangar, he had set a course straight for Coruscant, making sure to take the fastest hyperspace route in the vicinity. It took him only an hour to arrive at the palace, and only twenty minutes to reach the throne room.

               “Ah, Lord Vader,” Palpatine rasped from his spot on the throne. “I trust that you’ve return to me with good news?” An ugly smile spread across his wrinkled face, revealing rows of nasty, stained teeth that only made his yellow Sith eyes glow brighter beneath his hood.

               “You did not tell me it was _her_ ,” Vader hissed, stopping just in front of the steps leading up to his master’s throne.

               The Emperor cackled, his grin only growing wider. “Ah, so you’ve found the girl. Where is she?”

               “She was kidnapped by rebels more than a week ago,” Vader answered. “The very same ones Grand Admiral Thrawn is trying to hunt down.”

               His master’s eyes glittered with amusement. “So _Thrawn_ is her commanding officer?”

               “She is his officer’s aide,” he answered.

               “With Thrawn’s talents, I have no doubt he will find and rescue her soon. Tell me, Lord Vader,” Palpatine said as he shifted forward in his seat. “If dear little Elena was not there, how did you know it was her?”

               “Thrawn had something of hers—a bracelet—which she had lost during her kidnapping. I recognized it.” Beneath his mask, Vader grit his teeth in frustration as his master’s smile only grew wider. The wider it grew, the more it ignited his anger. “You knew it was her this whole time,” he accused.

               “It’s true,” his master smirked. “I recognized her presence the night of the ball.”

               “Why didn’t you tell me it was her?” Vader barked.

               The Emperor drew himself up, twisting his smile from amusement to condescension. “I thought it best if you found out yourself, so that your _failure_ to follow simple instructions could stare you right back in the face.”

               “I did not fail you, my m—“

               “NO!” Palpatine shot up from his throne, zapping Vader with enough Force lightning to throw him back a few feet. “I _ordered_ you to kill all the Jedi!” he bellowed. “But you let one get away.” Writhing in pain, Vader forced himself to stand back up. “You let one little girl get away…” He stalked down the steps, stopping only a few feet in front of his apprentice.

               Vader said nothing as the Emperor stood before him. “I have something better in mind, you know,” he said, his grin returning. “Something that will be far more…beneficial to you.”

               “What will you have me do, my master?”

               “I no longer want you to bring her to me,” he answered. “I want you to kill her.”

               “Master,” Vader said. “She is strong with the Force, it would be far more beneficial to us if we trained her in the ways of the—“

               Another zap of Force lightning knocked him back to the ground, and parts of his suit started to smoke.

               “No,” Palpatine hissed. “You must become _stronger_!”

               Pain pulsated through Vader’s body, making it impossible to speak as he lifted himself off the ground for the second time.

               His master spoke, his voice more controlled and conversational than it had been mere seconds ago. "Strong with the Force she may be, but to you she will only be a walking reminder of who you once were and what your life once was.” Silence blanketed the throne room. “You cannot return to that life, Lord Vader. You must sever yourself from your Jedi past if you are to fulfill your true destiny. Keeping her alive will not help you become who you're meant to be. You once cared for the girl; that is why you must kill her. Just like with Padmé, let her death fuel your _pain_ , your _hatred_. Let it complete the person you are meant to be."

               Seconds passed before he finally answered. "I understand.”

               "Good," the Emperor said with a nasty smile.

               “I can, however, foresee complications with her being Admiral Thrawn’s officer’s aide.”

               “Yes, you are right,” the Emperor scowled. “The Chiss has been most helpful to me with providing information about the Unknown Regions. I don’t think it would be wise to eliminate someone he is close with and risk losing his help. At least, not yet…”

               “What do you propose, my master?”

               “Let Thrawn continue on with his mission of locating the rebels—he will find her alive, I’m almost sure of it. In the meantime, carry on with whatever projects and duties you currently have. As for the girl…it will have to be done discreetly, and I have no doubt you will come up with a clever way to dispose of her.” Palpatine turned, making his way back up the steps to his throne. Halfway up, he stopped and turned his head. “I don’t care how long it will take, Lord Vader, but you _will_ kill her. There is no other option I’m giving you.”

               “Yes, my master,” Vader answered before exiting the room.

 ~ ▪ ~

               Twilight had descended over Lothal when Agent Kallus’s small ship arrived just outside Capital City. After surreptitiously making his way to the government building’s hangar, he stood perched from the safety of the second floor overlook, patiently waiting for Thrawn to make an appearance. Not fifteen minutes later an imperial transporter arrived right on schedule, and Kallus watched Governor Pryce and Admiral Konstantine make their way across the floor to greet Thrawn, who had exited his ship with two imperial death trooper guards by his side.  

               "Governor Pryce, I bring urgent news," he heard Thrawn’s soft voice echo across the hangar.

               "Of course," Pryce answered, "Right this way."

               As they made their way towards the building's entrance, a smug grin stretched across Kallus’s face as he lifted a remote controller from his belt. While on his way to the hangar, he had nabbed an unsuspecting mouse droid from its designated hallway, reprogrammed it to follow the commands of his controller, and implanted within it a small listening device he had smuggled off the Chimaera. At the click of a button, the droid sprang out from the doorway right in front of Thrawn and his group and stopped just to their left. Just as Kallus predicted, the imperials ignored it completely, and as soon as the door to the hangar shut behind them, Kallus activated its recording device and maneuvered it into a small tunnel opening used only by the mouse droids for easy travel. From there, the droid would make its way to a vent inside Pryce’s office, where he knew the imperials would be meeting.  

               Satisfied with his progress, Kallus left the hangar for another hiding spot, activated his listening comm, and waited for their voices.

~ ▪ ~

               As soon as Thrawn, Pryce, and Konstantine stepped into the Governor’s office, Thrawn clicked the door shut. Wordlessly, he walked over to Pryce’s desk and lowered the window blinds, dimming the room.

               "Is all this secrecy truly necessary, Grand Admiral?" Konstantine asked.

               Thrawn turned around and walked towards the desk. "We still have a traitor in our midst. We need to be highly cautious about what we discuss and where we speak. And what I'm about to say cannot fall into the rebels' hands." Thrawn activated the holoport on Pryce's desk, and soon the blue hologram of Grand Moff Tarkin projected itself between where Pryce and Konstantine stood.  

               "Admiral Thrawn," Tarkin said, "I trust that the information you have for me was worth the wait."

               "The rebels of the so-called Pheonix Squadron are about to launch a major military strike against the Empire.”

               Tarkin narrowed his eyes. "They wouldn't dare.”

               "Oh believe me, they would," Thrawn countered. "Everything leading up to this moment has been rehearsal. The real performance is about to begin. I'm counting on it."

               "You have my attention," Tarkin said. "What target would the rebels attack?"

               "I believe they're about to strike our most important facility in the region—the TIE Defender factory right here on Lothal. My spies report General Dodonna’s fleet is en route to reinforce Commander Sato and Captain Syndulla."

               "Where is this fleet amassing?"

               "I have yet to uncover its precise location," Thrawn said.

               "A coordinated attack by multiple rebel cells is unprecedented," Pryce said.

               "And it's exactly this moment I've been waiting for," Thrawn said with icy calm, "To wipe them out."

               "I want you to capture their leadership," Tarkin ordered.

               Thrawn narrowed his eyes. “In such a battle, it may not be possible to take prisoners.” As of now, the only people he cared about keeping alive were Elena and Captain Hera Syndulla. All it would take was one rebel to lead him to the main base. The rest would fight gallantly, finding death in his line of fire.

               "Oh, but a man of your talents will manage," Tarkin asserted. "If we are to crush this rebellion, we must make examples of its leaders."

               "As you wish, Governor Tarkin," Thrawn said before the hologram dissolved and the transmission ended.

~ ▪ ~

               "She did it," Ezra said. "Hera really did it."

               Ezra walked with Kanan, watching as the pilots and crew geared up their ships for the impending attack. Some of the newcomers had only just arrived yesterday and early that morning, but all were more than eager to get started. "Look at everyone," he said. "I can't believe they're all going to help Lothal."

               "It wasn't just Hera," Kanan said.

               "Oh, I know," Ezra said, "You too, Kanan. And Zeb. And Sabine. Chopper…less so…”

               Kanan laughed. “No, that’s not what I meant. I meant you.”

               “Kanan, I…” Ezra frowned. “I didn’t do any of this. If not for you guys, I’d be back on Lothal just waiting to be rescued like everyone else.”

               Kanan turned back to face him. “Ezra, you have never been like everyone else.” Ezra pursed his lips, trying not to let his grin show too much. “Hera always saw something special in you. And, so did I. At times I was afraid—afraid that I couldn’t teach you everything you needed to know.”

               “But you did,” Ezra replied. “I’ve learned _so_ much.”

               “And so have I,” Kanan said. “We all have. In fact, sometimes I wonder whether I have anything left to teach you.”

               “No,” Ezra crinkled his brow. “That can’t be true.”

               “My own Jedi training was limited,” Kanan said before turning away.

               “I don’t mean about the Force,” Ezra said, stopping Kanan in his tracks. “I mean about _life_. About being a good person. _That’s_ what you taught me.”

               Ezra’s words brought a small smile to Kanan’s face, but what he could sense beneath did not match the expression. A little over a week had past, and still that tight knot of sadness filled his master’s thoughts. No amount of distraction or preparations could drag him away from his worry over the imperial girl hiding somewhere out in the desert.

               “I’m sorry about Elena, Kanan,” Ezra said with a sigh. “Has anyone even seen her yet?”

               “No,” Kanan solemnly said.

               “Not even Bendu?”

               Kanan shook his head before turning his masked gaze towards the horizon. “Wherever she is, she’s well hidden. But once the mission’s over, I have every intention of finding her, no matter how long it’ll take.”

               Ezra opened his mouth to reply, but a call from Hera cut him off, “Hey you two!” she said from the holoport. “It’s time to help out. General Dodonna and the Massassi group will be here any minute.”

               Hera turned her head as a blue light flashed above the comm port, and the hologram of Commander Sato appeared. “Captain Syndulla, the Massassi group has just arrived.” Another flash of blue appeared next to Commander Sato and materialized into an older, white-haired man with blue eyes.

               “Welcome to Atollon, General Dodonna,” Hera said.

               “Thank you, Captain,” he said. “This day’s been a long time coming.

               “Agreed, General,” Hera answered.

               “Hopefully we can finally deal a blow to the Empire and show the rest of the galaxy what we’re capable of.”

               Ezra watched as Hera, for the first time in a week, smiled. In just a few hours, the mission they had planned for so long would finally happen, and Ezra found himself smiling too. Tonight the Rebellion would turn the tables on the Empire and fight together as an unbreakable, unified force. Tonight they would show the galaxy that there was still hope against the evil they faced every day. And tonight, Ezra grinned, he would finally take back his home from the claws of the enemy.

~ ▪ ~

               Twin moons glittered in the sky above as Agent Kallus raced across the Lothalian plains on his speeder, the old communications tower looming in the distance. His heart raced with every passing second as he coaxed his bike to move faster. Thrawn knew way more than he had thought, and he silently hoped the rebels were not planning their attack any time soon.

               Once there, he raced up the stairs, leaving the door open so the moonlight would help him see. Everything was still in its place, and he quickly checked for intruders before squatting down to activate the communication device. A small, white hologram of the Fulcrum symbol lit up above the recorder, and Kallus began his message.

               "This is Fulcrum with an urgent message," he quietly enunciated. "Thrawn knows about—"

               A small burst of static interrupted him, and he looked up to see that the Fulcrum symbol had turned red, signifying that he was now offline. He hurriedly began fiddling with the frequency knobs, but his efforts did nothing to change the red, glitching symbol back to white.

               "By the light of Lothal's moons," a deep, suave voice mocked from the doorframe. Kallus nearly jumped out of his skin when he turned his head. Grand Admiral Thrawn stood against a backdrop of night and stars, a victorious smirk plastered across his face. His deadly, red eyes seemed to glow against the royal blue sky, their sclera almost bright enough to conceal his pupils.

               "That _is_ your code phrase, isn't it, Agent Kallus?” The admiral calmly stalked into the room, like a predator cornering its prey. “Or, would you prefer I address you as Fulcrum?" Kallus grit his teeth. It was all he could do to hold Thrawn’s gaze and counter it with his own deadly, venom-filled glare.

               "I'm afraid your rebel friends won't receive your warning," Thrawn lifted his hand, revealing a handheld communication jammer.

               Kallus felt as though the floor had dropped out from under him. This was it. Thrawn had caught him in the act. It no longer mattered what he did or said, because the Empire would never acquit him of treason. To him, he either had two choices: give up and die, or fight and hope for escape.

               Glaring down at his clenched fists, he made his choice.

               With a yell, he sprang up and charged at the admiral with all his strength, determined to knock the jammer out of his hands.

               Thrawn blocked his kick and fought back with a skillful barrage of punches. The two men swung their fists, kicked, and dodged what attacks they could until Thrawn grabbed Kallus and threw him to the ground, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Kallus leaped back up, raising his fists as the admiral watched him from the doorframe like a vulture.

               "Your technique _is_ good, but…limited by your training at the Imperial Academy." Thrawn smirked. "Predictable.”

               In the blink of an eye, Kallus whirled around and snatched an old, discarded stormtrooper helmet off one of the shelves and threw it at the admiral. He caught it effortlessly, but the small diversion gave Kallus just enough time to slide across the floor and trip him. The jammer flew out of his hands, and Kallus crushed it with his boot.

               "You talk too much," Kallus grunted as he raised his fists.

               Thrawn lifted himself up and raised his in return, and the two men continued their brawl. Kallus fought hard, but he found that he was no match for the admiral’s fury. He could feel complete and utter hatred in every punch and kick, could see it clearly on his face. And his eyes—Kallus had never seen them quite like this. Livid, murderous, bloody pools radiating just how much pent-up, unrestrained rage Thrawn felt towards him. Staring right back into those glowing red eyes, Kallus knew his enemy’s loss of composure had little to do with his betrayal, but everything to do with Commander Rizzo. Because Kallus knew that he was the reason she was gone. And Kallus knew that Thrawn knew.

               He had no time to react when the admiral grabbed a fistful of his hair and kneed him in the stomach, leaving him defenseless. All it took was one final kick from Thrawn to throw him out of the room and straight into the guardrail outside.

               His head spun from the impact, rendering him helpless to the two death trooper guards waiting in the darkness. They seized him by the arms, holding him tight as Thrawn stalked out onto the balcony, now calm and collected. There was absolutely no trace of the blinding rage Kallus had saw in him only a second before.

               "You have the heart of a rebel," Thrawn grimaced.

               "I'll take that as a compliment," Kallus hissed.

               Thrawn glared before turning to walk back into the tower, hands clasped behind his back as the death troopers dragged Kallus inside and cuffed him to one of the overhead pipes. Bruises started to form on his face, and his busted lower lip throbbed in pain.

               “Leave us,” Thrawn ordered the troopers. He shut the door as soon as they stepped out, leaving the room in complete darkness except for the glow from Thrawn’s holomap, which he had set up while the troopers were cuffing him.

               "You may have transmitted your warning, Agent, but in doing so you've given me the last piece of the puzzle." Kallus watched Thrawn pace around the map, the glow from the portable holodevice playing off his blue skin. He activated something on his datapad, and a dotted red line cut through the map’s center. "Now, this is the trajectory of General Dodonna's fleet, and this," another dotted red line appeared, "Is the trajectory of your Fulcrum transmission." Kallus’s mouth went dry as he watched the two points intersect. Had he not erased Atollon from the map, Thrawn would have completed his hunt. "Taken separately, the lines mean nothing, but together—“

               "Nothing," Kallus said. "There's no planet there. The rebels are smarter than you give them credit for."

               "A pity you do not study art, Agent Kallus," Thrawn said. "There is much it can show you, if you know where to look.” He lifted a datacard and inserted it into the holoprojector. The red lines remained, but the rest of the map changed into an overlay of what looked like an ancient star chart. "Such as a system which does not appear on imperial charts, but is represented in the art of the ancient people of this sector.” A small sphere materialized at the intersection point this time, and Kallus silently cursed to himself. “I believe they call this, Atollon—now the home of your rebel base."

               “Go looking for it and I’ll make sure the entire Empire learns about your and Commander Rizzo’s _breech in protocol_.”

               Kallus couldn’t help the words that had tumbled from his mouth. He was now a man with nothing to lose, and a small part of him had been waiting for a moment like this for a long time—to use Thrawn’s one weakness against him.

               The admiral’s eyes turned almost as deadly as they had been during their fight. He took slow, predatory steps towards him, but Kallus held his gaze. “Our _what_ , Agent Kallus?”

               “You two weren’t fooling me,” Kallus hissed. “I saw the way she would look at you, the way she left your office well after curf—“

               A hard punch connected with his jaw, and drips of blood spilled down his chin.

               “And you _really_ think anyone is going to believe the words of a traitor?” A small muscle worked in the admiral’s jaw, and his eyes could have cut him to pieces. It was the most emotion Kallus had ever seen from Thrawn. “I can assure you, Agent Kallus,” he said with icy calm, “Your secret will die with you, as well as what will be left of your precious rebellion.”

               He grabbed a commlink from his belt, speaking into it as he glared down at Kallus with cold, victorious eyes. "Admiral Konstantine, deploy the fleet to these coordinates. We will join you shortly."

~ ▪ ~

               Hours had passed since Elena started following the tugging. She had long finished up what was left of her food and water, but it wasn’t enough to satiate her blinding hunger and thirst. She ditched the dead weight of the knapsack, salvaging only a small flashlight she had found in its smallest compartment. Exhausted and weak, she leaned on her sensor rod for support with every step she took.

               Somewhere along the way, a small bird with green feathers and a long tail decided to join her on her journey. Every now and then she’d glance up to watch it circle above and occasionally find rest on one of the plated trees. Though its presence calmed her, Elena couldn’t help but think it was…observing her in some way. It’s small, friendly face offered up encouragement as it watched her every step, and its green eyes appeared to hold a great deal of intelligence behind them. She found that she liked the little bird very much. Something about it made her feel peaceful, happy, and—most importantly—not alone.

               That was, until it flew away.

               “Wait!” she called after it. “Don’t leave.”

               The little bird watched her carefully as it shrank into the distance, leaving Elena standing in the middle of a crater.

               The tugging was stronger than it had ever been. She could feel that she had reached her destination. The base was close by too, and she hoped with every fiber of her being that she’d have enough energy to sneak back and steal more supplies before anyone noticed.

               The tugging tore through her mind, pulling her attention away from the bird and towards a cave opening on the opposite side of the small basin.

               But there was something else…something far more ancient and powerful slumbering nearby. She felt it brush against her conscious, and she turned her head at the sound of shuffling rocks somewhere near the cave opening.

               What she had mistaken for a gargantuan boulder started to _move_.

               She started, grabbing her sensor rod with both hands as she watched the behemoth of a creature turn its head and fixate its old, milky-white eyes on her.

               “Ah,” it said with a grin. “Hello.”

~ ▪ ~

               "We've just received a new transmission from Fulcrum," Hera said to everyone still gathered around the holoport.

               With a click of a button, the white symbol pixilated above the port, and Kallus's garbled voice sounded through the speaker: "This is Fulcrum with an urgent message. Thrawn knows abou—"

               An abrupt silence followed, and seconds passed before everyone nervously turned to one another in question.

               "Thrawn knows?” Kanan asked. “Knows about what?"

               Ezra’s eyes grew worried. "About the attack on Lothal?"

               Ryder, who had holocalled in from Lothal only a few minutes ago, crinkled his brow as he looked off towards something to his right. "Something's happened. Most of the imperial fleet left the system." He turned his blue eyes back up to face Hera. "What does it mean?"

               "Thrawn knows we're here…" Hera said with deadly quiet. "All ships, battle stations!" She stood up straighter, taking on the look of a commander ready for battle. Red-alert alarms bellowed throughout the base, and all rebel personnel scattered to their designated ships.

               "How can you be certain?" General Dodonna asked.

               "The last time this happened, the Empire ambushed us on Garel!” Ezra said.

               "Commander Sato," a voice said through Sato's transmission, "We have imperial star destroyers in coming!"

               Up in his ship above the stratosphere, Sato watched as five Star Destroyers burst out of hyperspace, all lined up in perfect, intimidating unison.

               "Phoenix Fleet, set defense formation Aurek-one!” Sato said to his crew. "Alert rebel command!"

               Ryder's hologram fizzled out, disappearing completely.

               "What happened?" yelled Ezra, "Where's Ryder?"

               "They're jamming long-range transmissions!" Hera said to Dodonna.

               "We have to scrub the mission…" he said.

               "But we're so close…" Ezra banged a fist on the port.

               "Evacuate all ground staff! We're getting out of here!" Hera ordered.

               But the rebels soon found there would be no escape for them. Two interdictor cruisers guarded the imperials’ flank, stopping any and all craft from jumping into hyperspace.

               Hera watched her tactical map with worried eyes as one of General Dodonna’s ships fell out of hyperspace and into the line of imperial fire. Her worry only grew when she saw yet another Star Destroyer had dropped out of hyperspace. She glared, already knowing exactly who it was.

               Abruptly, her map vanished, and everyone’s eyes widened as the hologram of Grand Admiral Thrawn gazed menacingly down at them.

               "General Dodonna, Commander Sato… _Captain Syndulla_ ," Thrawn smirked. Hera held her ground, shooting the iciest glare she could muster at him. "At last we meet in this…theater of war; however, briefly. There is no escape and your forces are badly outnumbered. This…’rebellion’…ends today."

               "We'll never surrender to you, Thrawn," Hera snarled.

               "You misunderstand, Captain," Thrawn said, triumph already glowing from his face. "I'm not accepting surrenders at this time. I want you to know failure, utter defeat, and that it is _I_ who delivers it crashing down upon you."

               Hera drew her shoulders back, eyeing him carefully. She would only have one shot at this, and she channeled everything she had to make it look convincing. "And you really want to risk that knowing we have your officer's aide in rebel custody?"

               A glint in his eye unsettled her, but she held her ground, knowing full well it was just some trick of his. "Do you now?" he smugly grinned. "Then where is she?” Hera focused her glare at him. “You do realize your threat holds no substance if you have no prisoner to show?”

               They faced off, his red eyes and her green engaging in their own silent battle. _How could he be so all-knowing?_ she thought. He must have gone over every possible scenario before coming here. How in the galaxy was she supposed to keep up with an enemy like this? Everyone on this base was trusting her with their lives to get them to safety and come up with a plan; yet, she found herself feeling woefully unprepared and overwhelmed in the presence of her adversary.

              “You disappoint me, Captain,” he said when she didn’t respond. “I would not have expected someone of your talents to allow a prisoner to escape.”

              Whether his comment was mockery or admiration, she didn’t care. But there was no point in pushing the lie any further. She knew she had lost, she could feel it in her eyes.

              "Thank you for that valuable information, Captain Syndulla.” She held his smug gaze, refusing to back down. “Now," he said with deadly elegance, "let us proceed."

              He vanished, replaced by her tactical charts from before. Hera exhaled, dropping her gaze to her hands. After a brief second, she whipped her head back up, and her eyes regained the same hardiness and strength they had held seconds before Thrawn’s comm.

              "We don't have the strength to meet Thrawn head on, but I will get us to safety."

              "How do you propose we break his blockade?" Sato asked.

              "Thrawn believes this is the entire rebel fleet," she said. "So we just need a big enough opening to get one ship through. Once clear of the jamming, they can call for reinforcements to attack the Empire's flank."

              "That should divide their forces and enable us all to escape," Dodonna said.

              "The Ghost stands the best chance," Sato commented. "We'll make an opening for you."

              "Not for me. Ezra and Kanan will take the Gauntlet."

              "No way," Kanan protested, "I'm not leaving you."

              "This is our fight too," Ezra said.

              "There's no time to argue," Hera countered. "As Jedi, you two have the best chance to escape, and there's no one I trust more to get the help we need. You're going. Chopper too. That's an order!"

              She turned away but didn’t make it but a few steps before Kanan caught her arm.

              "Hera…I can't leave yet," Kanan said. "There's someone I have to warn about this, out in the wilderness"

              Hera sighed, her determined green eyes softening with compassion. "Kanan…I'm sorry. I know you want to find her, but…none of us has been able to locate—"

              “I don’t mean Elena,” he said. “It’s…someone else.”

              "What?" Hera said. "Kanan, no. I need you and Ezra to go get help."

              "That's what I'm doing.”

              "You mean from _him_?" Ezra said.

              "Hey, I’m a persuasive guy," Kanan said, putting his hand on his chest.

              Hera crinkled her brow. "Who are you talking about?"

              Kanan sighed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But I need you to trust me."

              Hera nodded. "Just don't keep me waiting long," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He returned the gesture. "Ezra," she turned, "The mission is yours, and yours alone."

              "Good luck, kid," Kanan said with a pat on his shoulder before running off towards the speeders.

              “May the Force be with me…” Ezra mumbled before sprinting to his ship. Once in the air, he fell into formation with everyone else. And as soon as they broke through the stratosphere, the battle began.

~ ▪ ~

              Whatever scream Elena had died in her throat as she beheld the enormous beast looming above her. Though she was afraid, she could sense the creature meant no harm. Slowly, she lowered her guard, allowing the Force to flow freely between them. Maybe a few months ago she would have fled in terror; but after all she had been through—especially in regards to the Force—nothing really surprised her anymore.

              “W-What are you?” she stammered.

              “Hmmm,” the beast hummed as it fixated its ancient, milky eyes on her. “So you decided to respond to my call. Very good. You are learning to let go of your preconceived doubts.”

              Elena blinked. “You…you’re the voice. The voice I heard out in the desert.”

              “I am,” the beast replied, his words echoing off the rocks and trees. “I am the Bendu. The one in the middle.”

              “The one in the…middle of _what_?” she furrowed her brow.

              “The Force, my dear girl,” he answered. “The very power that you yourself can wield. Now tell me, what do you call yourself?”

              “Elena Rizzo.”

              “You come here seeking answers, Elena Rizzo.”

              She knitted her brows. “I do…” She gripped her staff tighter, hearing sounds out in the distance—commotion of some kind? “Ever since I arrived here, I’ve felt this…call…through the Force. And…” she eyed the cave. “And it’s coming from _here_.”

              The beast lifted a brow and smiled. “Ah yes. I knew you had felt it calling to you. Yet only now you have chosen to find it.” He inclined his head. “Why is that?”

              “Wait…you _knew_? How did you know?”

              “My dear, I am far older than you, and my connection with the Force allows me to see and know what others could spend lifetimes only trying to scratch the surface of.”

              She could hear her heartbeat in her ears as it started to pick up speed. What more could this ancient creature know? “If that is the case, then…can you…” a lump caught in her throat, “Can you restore my memories?” She rubbed her wrist, hating how naked it felt without the bracelet. The beast eyed her carefully, observing her. “Please, I…” a small sound escaped her lips. “…I lost them many years ago. I just want to know who I really am.”

              “Who you really are and who you will become are not so much determined by knowing your past, but by what actions you choose to take in your current circumstances. I can see it in your eyes—you were satisfied with the path you have chosen to take. You felt…secure in your choices.”

              Elena nodded.

              “I wonder…” he narrowed his gaze. “Your discovery of the Force was enough to shatter the boundaries of your beliefs.”

              A small muscle twitched in her jaw. “It’s true,” she quietly answered. “…But with time I learned to accept it—learned that it is a part of who I am.”

              “Indeed it is,” he said. “And here it has brought you.” Unexpectedly, the beast’s eyes hardened, and Elena frowned. “But such discoveries can fracture one’s view of their life and the path laid out before them. Learning of your past will be no different.”

              “But I must know,” Elena declared. “All I’ve ever wanted were answers.”

              “And you will find them,” the Bendu said. “But do you _believe_ you are ready to regain what you have lost? For when you do, my dear girl, it will change everything.”

              The last words he spoke struck a chord deep within her—he was offering her a choice. She could turn away, hope for rescue or escape, and live the rest of her life in blissful ignorance with Thrawn without ever learning what sort of circumstances lead her to her present day situation. Perhaps that would be the easiest choice to make. There was no telling where she could have come from or what consequences it could drag her into.

              But if she turned away now…

              She would never know.

              What if her life had been happy? What if there was still a family out there waiting for her to come home?

              Thoughts of Tal’s grandfather came to mind. The years he had spent on Ryloth waiting for his grandson to return, never knowing that the last member of his family had been dead for years…

              The sting of tears pricked the back of her eyes. “I want to know.”

              “Very well,” he said. “What answers you seek lie in there,” he motioned toward the cave. “But that is a journey you must make on your own.”

              Still brimming with questions, she opened her mouth to ask more. But all that came out was a gasp as she felt a new presence emerged from behind.

              She whipped her head around.

              A speeder motor had powered off, and Kanan Jarrus stepped down into the crater.

              She turned back to the Bendu. “What’s _he_ doing here?!”

              The beast quirked a brow.

              "Do you know him?” her eyes turned hard. “Did you tell him I’d be here?!"

              “Elena, wait!”

              She needed to run, to get as far away from him as possible. She was already so close. The tugging—her memories—were screaming out to her from the mouth of the cave. And she did not come all this way just to be captured and lose finding out who she was. 

              Without a second of hesitation, she clutched her sensor stick, ripped the flashlight from her rebel uniform belt, and bolted towards the cave.

              "Elena, no! Wait!" Jarrus yelled before breaking into a sprint.

              She tore through the cave's twisting tunnels, letting the tugging guide her in the right direction. Even with the flashlight’s help, she still couldn’t help running into the sides of the cave’s walls. Dirt fell into her hair, and each collide with the cave walls bruised and scraped her.

              She could feel Jarrus not too far behind her. Even with his blindness, he could still follow the path with ease, thanks to his connection with the Force.

              "Elena!" the Jedi kept yelling. He was the only rebel who used her first name, and something about his voice resonated deep in her mind. But no, she couldn’t think about that right now. The tugging was too important, too loud. And no matter whether she had known him from the past or not, he was still a rebel, and he was going to take her away. Away from the tugging, which drew her in like a moth to candlelight.

              "Stop calling me that!" She growled. Her voice echoed and reverberated through the tunnels.

              “What do you mean?!” the Jedi yelled.

              “Stop calling me by my kriffing first name!”

              "Please, I know you're hurt, and you have every right to be angry with me! I’m sorry!"

              "Are you _really_ trying to apologize for kidnapping me?!” She spat. “And what makes _you_ so special anyway? I'm angry at _all_ of you, rebel scum!"

              She felt him stop dead in his tracks. From shock or disbelief, she honestly didn’t care. All that mattered was the tugging. "That's not what I'm talking about, Elena!"

              She reached the end of the cave and stopped. An open space lay before her, and in the dead center…

              The source.

              "Then what the hell _are_ you talking about?" she said as she pointed her flashlight towards the center of the chamber.

              Jarrus stayed frozen where he had stopped, and Elena could feel the sadness and confusion he felt towards her words. "Do all those years truly not matter to you anymore!?"

 _What?_ She thought.

             "It can't be…" she whispered to herself. She turned, her back against the pulsating beacon in the middle of the cave. Was it true then? Did she really at one point know him? It would explain so much—why his presence felt so familiar, why he _looked_ so familiar, why he seemed to be talking to her like they were once friends.

             Now she was caught between two powerful forces—the Jedi making his way down the tunnels, and the incessant tugging she could feel at her back. She turned her eyes back to it, feeling its mighty grip begging her to turn around.

             It was too strong to resist. She turned back to it and shined her light to get a better view.

             A small, metal cylinder sat nestled among a pile of small rocks. She gaped, realizing what it was as she crouched down. With a trembling hand, she reach out for it. But as soon as she wrapped her hand around its silver surface, she collapsed, and the world went dark around her.

~ ▪ ~

             Kanan rushed down into the small chamber, already sensing that something was off. “Elena?” he called out. “Elena!” Still, no answer.

             He soon realized why—she lay crumpled on the ground a few feet away from him, her lightsaber clutched tightly in her hand. Even as he lifted her up, the lightsaber stayed welded to her iron grip.

             It took him a few minutes to meander his way back to the surface, letting the Force guide him through the dark, twisting tunnels. But as soon as he stepped back into the afternoon sunlight, he tensed.

             Though the planet itself was silent, war raged high above the stratosphere. Already Hera and the rest of the rebels were engaging Thrawn and his imperial blockade.

             The Bendu sat close by with his back turned.

             "Bendu?" he called. "Bendu, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me,” he turned his masked face towards Elena. “But I came here because we need your help."

             Bendu turned around, shaking the ground with his steps. "You have brought war to my quiet world, Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight." He could feel the beast’s anger shining like fire. "And I will have no part of it!" he growled.

             "Wait," Kanan said. "Bendu—"

             The beast flared his nostrils. “I helped restore your lost friend to you, and _this_ is how you repay me?!”

             “Bendu, just hear me out—“

             "No!" He yelled. "I am the one in the middle. I take no side."

             "So you're just going to let us die?" Kanan said. "And you think the _Empire_ won't kill you too?"

             "I am beyond your worrying and wars. I am unseen, unknowable, like a rock in the river," he growled. "Do you think it chance this world was so difficult for you to find, hmm?"

             "No, but maybe we were meant to find it," Kanan said. "And meant to find _you_."

             "For what purpose?" he asked. "I was here long before you, and will be long after. I am the Bendu, the one in the—"

             "In the middle," Kanan interrupted, "So you keep saying." the beast glared down at him. "Look," he sighed, "I tried to live that way once, told myself the galaxy would go on with or without me. But when I saw innocents harmed, I knew I had the power to _do_ something about it. I couldn't just watch it all burn down around me! Some things are worth _fighting_ for!"

             Violence and destruction erupted from the stratosphere above, debris raining down through the clouds like comets. Kanan could feel every explosion, every loss of life from both sides as the battle pressed on. Each death, whether individual or collective, felt like a small sting to the heart.

             Suddenly, Elena felt too heavy for him to carry, and he gingerly set her down as more and more deaths rolled over him like a wave of dread.

             "You can feel it, can't you?" Kanan said, angered by the beast’s silent indifference. "My friends are dying!"

             "Such is the fate of all living beings."

             "Not like this…" Kanan said. "Crushed by overwhelming evil. Help us survive, Bendu. Help. Us. Fight!"

             "I will _not_ fight your _petty_ battles!"

             Kanan shook his head. "You'd rather hide, like a coward.”

             Bendu grit his teeth, exhaling sharply through his nostrils as a thunder clap sounded above. "I will _not_ be called a coward by the likes of you, _Kanan Jarrus_!" Pebbles and rocks rose and danced around the beast, and Kanan felt an overwhelming power from the Force as the Bendu started to rise off the ground like an angry god. When he spoke again, his voice filled every nook and crevice of the wilderness around them, an echo with the resonance of a thousand choirs: "Perhaps it was the will of the Force that the Jedi and all your kind had perished!" A violent storm whipped up around them, winds and debris beating against Kanan's face as he bent down to shield Elena. "And I serve the will of the Force!"

            The beast rose up, shrouded beneath his swirling storm. Only his eyes were visible through the cataclysm, and they had taken on a deadly glow of orange. The storm traveled with him, blue lightning striking to the beat of deadly thunderclaps until he vanished into the clouds.

            "Bendu!" Kanan yelled out. "BENDU!!"

            But the beast was gone. He and the storm had risen high above, manifesting somewhere behind the clouds. In the distance a lightning storm had begun to brew, darkening the skies in every direction.

            “Damn it…” Kanan whispered to himself. There would be no help from the Bendu this time.

             He needed to get back to base immediately. Already Hera and the others had retreated back to take cover and plan their next move. He could see the remaining ships making their descent out in the distance and could feel everyone’s fear and determination.

             He sank to his knees, gently lifting Elena’s head and shoulders up to support her. He felt for her hand, the lightsaber still locked in her unyielding grip.

             A squeal from his commlink averted his attention, and he grabbed for it as soon as he heard Hera’s voice. "Kanan?" she said. "Do you copy?"

             "I read you, Hera," he replied.

             "Thrawn is planning an orbital bombardment,” she said. “You need to get back to base immediately. The shield has been raised."

             "I'm moving as fast as I can," Kanan replied.

             "Faster. _Please_.”

             Once the comm ended, he turned back to Elena.

             Still alive, but locked tightly up in unconsciousness.

             “Elena,” he plead. “Elena…please. Please wake up…”

~ ▪ ~

             “Our capital ships are in position, and the blockade is secure” Kallus heard Governor Pryce proudly state. Both she and Thrawn stood on the bridge looking out over the rebel base below. Kallus watched them both with contemptuous eyes from behind, his wrists painfully restrained by the grip of a death trooper.

             Thrawn turned to her. “And that status of the rebel fleet?”

             “The remaining vessels have fled back to the surface and are taking shelter under a localized shield.”

             Thrawn inclined his head ever so slightly. “Very good. Let’s test their mettle.” Shoulders back, he turned towards a bridge operator. “Commence the attack,” he ordered. “Target only the shield, and keep any stray fire at a minimum.”

             Kallus narrowed his eyes. _He still believes she’s hiding out somewhere_. And perhaps she was, if Thrawn made the right assumptions after his and Hera’s confrontation.

             He watched the admiral walk back to the overlook, hands stiffly behind his back as he watched his Star Destroyer’s lasers rain down on the planet below.

~ ▪ ~

             Kanan whipped his head up. He could feel the Bendu’s storm creeping over the base, dark clouds settling over it with foreboding darkness.

             He needed to go back _now_.

             His commlink rang again, Hera’s voice full of complete terror. “Kanan! Find cover NOW!”

             Green, imperial lasers rained down from the sky, targeting the base’s shield.

             With not a second left to waste, he grabbed Elena and made for his speeder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm eager to hear what you guys thought of this chapter :) let me know below. And also let me know your thoughts about the past 4 Rebels episodes! (I am so nervous for the finale....) 
> 
> Thanks again for all your support, kudos, and comments. I promise I won't keep you guys waiting too long for the next chapter.


	26. Visions of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elena regains her memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This chapter deals with some pretty dark stuff, especially at the beginning.

            Shadows and faces shuffled through Elena’s unconscious head, coalescing out of the depths of her mind like ghosts. Voices that were once long forgotten overlapped one another with a haunting echo as darkness continued to swirl around her:

 

_“You miss her very much.”_

_“More than anything.”_

_“Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”_

_“We could keep it a secret.”_

_“No, it would destroy us.”_

_“I couldn’t save my master, but I can save you.”_

_“It will only be another secret for you to keep.”_

_“Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.”_

             She could still hear Master Yoda’s echoing words as the darkness finally began to converge, revealing to her the first memory that came to mind.

             A circular room materialized before her, and she found herself hiding behind a couple of red chairs with twelve other children. She, too, was a child—only eight years old and crouching in fear of all the chaos and death unfolding outside.

             Through the floor-length glass windows of the room, Elena could see the darkened sky lit up with blaster fire. Distant booms from somewhere below shook the room. But what truly scared her and the other younglings was that horrible feeling of death silencing, one by one, the peaceful energy that had coursed through the temple earlier that day.

             Their masters were dying. And there was nothing they could do about it.

             Suddenly the room’s only door sprung open and a hooded man stepped forward.

             “Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?”

             She looked up to see a young boy had crawled out of hiding and approach the tall, hooded figure. More children began to move out of their hiding places. All too trusting. All too innocent to know any better.

             But Elena knew.

             So she remained behind the chair, her heart filled with so much fear and dread that it threatened to burst at the seams.

             Anakin answered the boy with a hiss from his lightsaber, and her younger self screamed at the top of her lungs as he mercilessly cut through her friends.

             She backed away as far as she could, still screaming as she covered her eyes. Nothing could protect her from the aching pain she felt through the Force. Every strike she heard from the lightsaber clenched her heart with icy claws.

             She needed to get away before he saw her, but he already knew she was there.

             He had left her for last.

             And as soon as the hood fell from his face, her heart broke.  

             “No!” she cried out. Tears and mucus trailed down her face, and she couldn’t hold back her choking sobs. She didn’t want to believe it, but…

             Seeing his face…knowing it truly was him…

             She stood as true and utter fear gripped her heart, paralyzing her every move as Anakin turned his eyes to her.

             Children were dead. Friends she would never grow up with lay slain around her.

             He slowly approached her, lightsaber still humming. Nothing made sense to her. It was him, but this was not the Anakin she knew.  

             But the closer he stepped towards her the clearer she could see the conflict still brewing in his eyes. Indecision radiated off of him. Her tear-soaked eyes, wide as saucers, looked back into his. Betrayal and pain coursed through her. She could feel his hesitation as he lifted his saber. He bared his teeth, grunting.

             But he couldn’t do it.

             “ _Get out!”_ He shrieked at her, and she sprinted out the door. She could hear him yelling behind her, letting his saber strike the floor where she had stood.

             She barreled down the hallway. Almost everyone she had ever known lay motionless, sparks of light snuffed out by icy darkness. She could still sense the presence of the clone troopers below, all of them still searching for more Jedi to kill.

             But she knew a way out.

             She bolted down the hallway until she finally found it—an air vent leading to the temple’s outside. The last time she had crawled into it, she had been playing hide and seek with the other younglings. Now, it would be her only hope for safety.  

             But as soon as she crawled her way into the air ducts, her mind went black before plunging her into another memory.

 

             She appeared back in the same room; but this time, there was no war unfolding outside. The sun shone brightly through the windows, and each chair was now occupied by a Jedi Master. She stood in the room’s center, all eyes fixated on her. She was younger than she had been in the first memory. Barely four-years-old, and only just now discovering her connection to the Force.

             “Who is she?” she heard Master Mundi ask from her left.  

             “The niece of the newly appointed Senator Amidala of Naboo.” Master Windu sat to her front, regarding her with the same curiosity as the other members of the Jedi High Council.

             “Such a strong connection to the Force, she has,” Master Yoda said from his spot next to Master Windu. “Yet worry, I do…”

             “This was not a decision the senator took lightly,” Master Windu informed the others. “She raised the girl for two years before discovering her Force sensitivity. Already an attachment has formed between the two.”

             “She is still young enough,” Master Billaba said. “With proper training, her attachment will fade with time.”

             The Council continued on with their discussion as Elena just stood there, feeling like a fish in a bowl. All those eyes…all those voices spewing words she didn’t understand. She darted her gaze from person to person, trying to keep up with the conversation as best as her young mind could.

             But all of it had been too overwhelming.

             She thought she would start crying, but something calm and reassuring reached out to her. She glanced up to her left to see a Kel Dor man—Master Plo—had formed the connection. He was so kind and patient; she immediately started to feel better.

 _It’s ok_ , he assured her, _you’ll be safe here_.

             Everyone here was just like her. They would be there to help her, guide her, and keep her safe. Here, she would find family.

             She smiled back at Master Plo as the meeting came to a close.

             “So it is agreed then?” Master Windu asked.

             “So it is,” Master Yoda said. “Train her, we will.”

             The memory faded, collapsing back into the darkness as a new scene unfolded before her.

 

             But what she saw next was not a memory. The Force still had much more to show her from the past.

             Unlike the clarity of her memories, the Force visions were fuzzy and unfocused. But even through her grainy tunnel vision, she could still make out the features of the two people seated before her. One was a young woman with pretty brown eyes and a kind smile. She wore a shawl that concealed most of her face, as if she were trying to stay hidden. Seated across from her was a Jedi Padawan, his blond braid falling just below his shoulder.

_Anakin and Padmé._

             “It must be difficult having sworn your life to the Jedi,” she said. “Not being able to visit the places you like or do the things you like.”

             “Or be with the people I love.”

             “Are you allowed to love?” she said with crestfallen eyes. “I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi.”

             “Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi's life.” He smiled. “So you might say that we are _encouraged_ to love.” He tried to hold his grin, but he couldn’t help but notice the dejected look on her face when she didn’t reply. “What’s wrong?”

             “Oh nothing, it’s just…” she trailed off.

             Anakin leaned forward. “You can tell me, Padmé.”

             She eyed him for a second, considering her words. “It’s… just that I have someone dear to me in the Jedi Order.” She exhaled slowly. “Someone I ultimately had to give up because the Jedi forbid family from visiting or having relationships…”

             “Who is it?” Anakin asked.

             Padmé pursed her lips, her grief all too obvious. “Her name’s Elena. Elena Naberrie. My niece…” She looked down at her food. “She’d be five years old right now.”

             Anakin frowned, mirroring the sadness in her eyes with his own.

             “I took care of her after my brother and his wife died,” she continued. “She was like a daughter to me.”

             “You miss her very much,” he stated.

             Padmé dried her eyes, trying to keep her composure as tears threatened to break loose. “I do. More than anything.” She closed her eyes for a brief second, willing herself to calm down. “I love her very much. Giving her up to the Jedi was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

             “You don’t resent the Jedi for taking her?” Anakin asked.

             “No,” she dabbed at her eyes. “I accepted that it couldn’t have been any other way. I nor anyone I know on Naboo could have helped her understand the Force or its connection to her. Nor did I know at the time when I adopted her that the queen would appoint me as senator…” She frowned. “It was the best option in the end. I knew she would be safe with the Jedi; especially now since my position as senator has put me in danger... But…” she looked down. “I sometimes can’t help but think it was a mistake. All the birthdays and milestones in her life that I’ll miss…” She sighed. “I guess all I can do is hope for the day when I can see her again. Maybe she’ll still remember me when she’s older.” Padmé dabbed at her eyes.

             “Maybe you won’t have to wait that long,” Anakin said. “Maybe I could bring her to you sooner.”

             She looked up at him. “You could do that?”

             “Would it make you happy?”

             “More than anything. I would give anything to see her again. But…” she broke eye contact, staring down at her food. “I…I couldn’t do that to her. She’d get into trouble. So would you.”

             “There are ways around it,” Anakin tried to assure her. “All younglings train inside the temple, but most are taken outside into the city or off-world with an older Jedi so they can learn more about the Force.” Padmé looked down, hesitance filling her eyes. “Maybe, once I pass my trials and become a Knight, I can—“

             “I’m sorry Anakin,” she shook her head. “As much as I miss her, it’s just not worth the risk.”

             The vision collapsed, but another one took its place. 

 

             A small, elegant room filled with a grand fireplace and luxurious furniture came into view. And, once again, she saw Anakin and Padmé.

             I can't,” she shook her head. “We can't. It's just not possible.”

             “Anything is possible Padmé, listen to me.”

             “No, you listen!” She shot up from the sofa, pacing over towards the fireplace. “We live in a real world. Come back to it! You are studying to become a Jedi, I'm...I'm a senator. If you follow your thoughts to conclusion, it will take us to a place we cannot go, regardless of the way we feel about each other.”

             “Then you do feel something!”

             “I will not let you give up your future for me.”

             “You're asking me to be rational. That is something I know I cannot do. Believe me, I wish I could just wish away my feelings, but I can't.”

             “I will not give into this…”

             Anakin stopped, eyeing her careful as he considered his words. “Well, you know it...wouldn't have to be that way. We could keep it a secret.”

             “We'd be living a lie,” she shook her head. “One we couldn't keep even if we wanted to. I couldn't do that. Could you, Anakin? Could you live like that?”

             He slowly exhaled, bringing his eyes back up to hers “No. You're right. It would destroy us.”

 

             But something must have changed their minds somewhere along the way. As the vision dissolved away, Elena found herself thrust back into another memory. This time, deep within the crowded streets of Coruscant with Anakin Skywalker.

             The two of them wore hoods to conceal their faces, but it wasn’t enough to hide the excitement her six-year-old self was feeling that moment. Anakin—his Padawan braid now long gone and replaced by a mop of curly hair—held her, and she clung to him with both arms around his neck as they weaved in and out of the crowds. It was overstimulating, sensing all these people out on the busy streets. Humans and non-humans alike were capable of so many different emotions and feelings.

             But all of it paled in comparison to the exhilaration she had felt.

             “Will we _really_ get to see Aunt Padmé, Master Skywalker?” Her eyes lit up, wide as saucers. “I miss her so much.”

             Anakin laughed softly. “I know you do, little one. And yes, we’re almost there.”

             But she had to keep it a secret. Master Yoda and the others would be very upset if they knew where Anakin was taking her.

             Once they stepped into the correct apartment building, they rode the lift to the very top floor.

             “Aunt Padmé!” Elena grinned as she sprinted over towards the young woman waiting by the lift door. Padmé fell to her knees as the two of them hugged. Elena threw her arms around her neck, smiling at the familiar floral scent and calming feeling of her presence.

             When they pulled away, Padmé took in the details of her face as if she might disappear any second. The resemblance was shocking—aside from her blue eyes and the reddish tint in her hair, Elena was the splitting image of her aunt.

             “How long can she stay?” Padmé asked Anakin. Elation radiated from her face.

             “A few hours,” he answered. He couldn’t help his smile as the two hugged again. “As long as she’s back before dark, no one at the temple will suspect anything.”

             “Thank you, Ani,” she smiled, tears of joy running down her face as she hugged her beloved niece. “Thank you so much.”

 

             So many other memories of them spending time together burst from her mind. She had been so ecstatically happy whenever she got the opportunity. Keeping it a secret, however, had been very difficult; but Anakin went out of his way to help her cope. Over time, a budding friendship took root between the two as he continued to help her and teach her more about the Force and about keeping herself under control. When Padmé finally told Elena that she and Anakin were married, it had been one of the happiest days of her life.

 

             And when she wasn’t off visiting her aunt, Elena trained diligently and rigorously as a Jedi youngling. She had shown so much promise and talent, and often trained with some of the older younglings whenever Master Yoda thought her capable enough. And at the age of seven, she earned her kyber crystal and built her first lightsaber.

             Another prominent memory unfolded before her, and she found herself standing in one of the Jedi training rooms, lightsaber in hand. All the other younglings had long left to enjoy their downtime. But not Elena. She stood in the middle of the room, still trying her best to master a beginning a technique with the lightsaber she had constructed only two weeks ago.

             “You look like you could use some help,” said a voice from behind.

             She stopped and glanced around. A twelve-year-old boy stood at the doorway.

             “Here,” he stepped into the room and stood next to her, mimicking her stance. “Pivot your right foot like this.” She copied his movements, trying her best to mirror every correction he made to her technique. He had a lightsaber of his own too, a blade as blue as the sky. She watched the determination in his eyes and in the swings of his blade with admiration. With his skill, she thought he might be a Padawan, but no braid shown on his head. He was still a youngling, just like her.

             The two of them stayed in the training room, the boy determined to help Elena master the technique. His kindness had finally paid off after about twenty minutes when she swung her saber in just the right direction and landed in a perfect stance.

             “You got it!” he smiled. Elena beamed as she shut off her lightsaber. “What’s your name?”

             “Elena Naberrie,” she smiled.

             “I’m Caleb. Caleb Dume.” He couldn’t help but glance at her lightsaber. “You’re saber…did you build it recently?”

             “I did!” she answered. “I found my crystal three weeks ago.” She powered it back on, grinning as she admired the purple blade. “I’m still getting used to it though.”

             “You will with time,” he reassured. “With practice, it will soon feel like an extension of your own hand.”

             Elena beamed, so grateful to have met someone so kind and helpful.

             The boy disappeared though, along with the training room and everything around them; and she found herself thrown into another memory. 

 

              She stood on the balcony of Padmé’s apartment, staring out at the glittering lights of passing speeders and towering buildings. In the distance she could see the Jedi Temple, its towers shining like a beacon in the night. With the war becoming increasingly more involved, it had become so much easier for Elena to sneak away with and without Anakin’s help. So few of them stayed at the temple now. If she slipped away at just the right times, it would be hours before anyone noticed her absence. 

              “Alright,” Padmé’s called out from inside the apartment. “Close your eyes!”

              Elena giggled as she covered her face. She couldn’t help but peep through the slits between her fingers as she felt Padmé approaching closer and closer.

              “Ok, you can open them now!”

              Elena dropped her hands and grinned widely as she beheld her present. A small, gold bracelet sat in Padmé’s hand. She sucked in an excited breath, noticing how it spelled out her name in sleek, golden Aurebesh letters.

              “Here sweetheart, I’ll help you,” Padmé fastened the bracelet around Elena’s tiny wrist. But she was still so small—even with the clasp fastened to the innermost link, the bracelet still drooped down to her knuckles.   

              “I love it Aunt Padmé!” Elena hugged her tightly, wishing that she didn’t have to go back to the temple so soon.

              “Happy birthday, little Ellie,” Padmé said.

              Still locked into their tight hug, Elena couldn’t help but sense something. Padmé’s presence still felt the same, but something had changed. She could feel the smallest spark of life and energy from somewhere inside her aunt. It was so slight though, as if it were only just taking form.

              “Aunt Padmé, your belly!”

              Padmé smiled, placing her hand on her stomach. “Sweetheart, I have some very wonderful news for you.” She shifted, bringing her legs out to her side so she could sit more comfortably on the ground. “Your Uncle Ani and I are going to have a baby.”

              “You will?!” her smile could not have grown any wider.

              “We will,” she smiled softly. “You’re going to have a baby cousin one day.”

              “I’m so excited, Padmé!”

              She couldn’t help but smile at Elena’s excitement, but something sad and strained lurked beneath her eyes. Padmé turned her face away as a tear broke loose, but it had not gone unnoticed by her niece.

              “Why are you sad, Aunt Padmé?” Elena sat down next to her, tucking her knees under her thighs as her aunt gently played with her hair.

              “Because it will only be another secret for you to keep.” Elena leaned against her aunt, wishing she could stop her tears. “It just isn’t fair to you, sweet girl. None of it is. We never should have dragged you into something so complicated…”

              “But I’m so happy, Aunt Padmé!” Elena protested. “I know to keep it a secret. And I’ve been so good about it! And…and it hasn’t interfered with my training, I promise! Also, Ani has been helping me too!”

              Padmé dried her eyes. “What has he helped you with?”

              “Ani is just like me,” she said. “He knew his mother when he joined the Jedi…and I still knew you when they accepted me. The other kids never knew their families…they just don’t understand. Please, Aunt Padmé. I promise I won’t tell anyone about you and Ani, or the baby! Please!” her eyes watered. “I want to keep visiting you!”

              They memory faded out, replaced by another barrage of images and voices.

              It was the last birthday she would get to spend with Padmé. Not a few months after, their perfect world had shattered—torn apart by war and betrayal.

 

              Another memory took form around her. She was eight-years-old again, and all the happiness she had felt from before had drained out of her.

              Anakin had just tried to kill her, but she had made it outside to the street below thanks to his hesitance. She could see the Jedi Temple burning through tear-soaked eyes.

              “It’s ok, I’ve got you!”

              She had her arms wrapped tightly around a young teenage boy’s neck as he sprinted them towards safety. A Padawan braid swung left to right with every step he took.

_Caleb._

             “What happened?” Elena sobbed.

             “They’re…they’re killing all the Jedi.” Caleb panted. “I came back because I thought it was safe, but it’s far from it.”

             “Where are we going?” she started to cry again.  

             “I have a ship!” He turned down a street corner, and she saw it waiting for them just a few feet away. With all the commotion happening near the temple, no one seemed to care about a ship parked in the middle of the road.

             “Can your master help?” Elena asked.

             A surge of pain emanated from his heart, and she could feel his unsettling sadness as he spoke. “No, she…” he squinted his eyes, trying to hold back his own tears. “She was killed. I…I couldn’t save my master.” Now he was crying too, broken apart inside by the horrors he had seen. “But I can save you.” They sprinted into the ship, and he hastily brought the engine to life.

             Soon they were high above Coruscant’s stratosphere, dodging the fire from the Separatist and Republic ships alike. As soon as he found his opening, Caleb made the jump to hyperspace. Elena stared in awe at the starlines, but they soon dissolved back into darkness as the memory faded away.

 

             Caleb Dume had saved her life that day, and together they fled into the Outer Rim, the only place in the galaxy where wanted Jedi had the chance to start over.

             As the years passed, they moved from job to job, never staying too long in one place. Grief and sadness threatened to smother the two every day, but they helped get each other through it. In so many ways, Caleb had become her older brother. He was always there to save her whenever something went wrong, or if she just needed a shoulder to cry on. But as time moved on and changed, so did he.

             Somewhere along the way, Caleb Dume became Kanan Jarrus. He had hung up his lightsaber in favor of a blaster, and soon after he stopped using the Force all together.

             Elena hated it. Hated seeing him so shut off, depressed, and…different. Unlike him, she kept using her lightsaber, even when Kanan discouraged her from it. It was the only weapon she had ever known, and she wasn’t about to let it start gathering dust.

             But things only got worse over time. Especially when Elena would beg him to let her go back and look for Padmé.

 

             She was plunged into one last memory. She stood with Kanan inside their musty apartment on Gorse, the newest planet he had drug both of them too. She was barely fifteen-years-old and as angry as a rancor.

             “You’re not going.” Kanan firmly said. He was twenty-one now, and he had his hair pulled back into a low ponytail.

             “What, are you going to stop me?” her younger self shot back.

             “It’s too dangerous. The Empire is still hunting down Jedi, Elena!” He was so incredibly irritated with her. It was not the first time they had had this discussion. “Only an idiot would go back there.”

             “They’ll _always_ be hunting down Jedi,” she argued. “I have to go back! I have to find my Aunt Padmé! She’s still alive, she has to be. She’d either be on Coruscant or Naboo.”

             Kanan scoffed. “Oh yeah, the home planet of the Emperor. _That’ll_ be safe.”

             “Kanan, _please!_ ” she yelled. “I’m old enough now! I need a break from working all these odd jobs with you! I want to go back and _find my family!”_

             “Our family is _dead_ , Elena. When are you going to realize that?”

             “The Jedi may be dead, but Padmé might not be!” she shouted. “I’m sick of this, Kanan! All you ever do is kriffing drink and—“

             “You’re. Not. Going.” His tone was as unyielding as iron. “And cut it with the language.”

             “Oh, _fuck_ off!”

             So much shouting ensued; it had been their nastiest fight to date. But no matter what had been said or what objects got thrown, Elena did not back down.

             “Damn it, Elena!” he yelled. “FINE! If you want to go get yourself killed so you can go find some senator who’s probably already dead, be my guest!”

             Rage bubbled out of her. She reached for her belt, grabbed her lightsaber, and in a fit of anger hurled the hilt straight at his head. He caught it effortlessly, which only angered her more.

             “Fuck you, _Caleb Dume_!” was the last thing she shouted at him before boarding her ship. She didn’t even fight to get her lightsaber back. She just left, completely unaware that it would be the last time she ever saw him again as Elena Naberrie.

             She cried the entire way to Coruscant, staring down at her bracelet while the ship was in hyperspace. Several times she thought about changing her mind and turning back around. She knew Kanan hadn’t meant any of what he had said.

             She had decided that when it was all over and she found her aunt—dead or alive—she’d still return to Kanan and apologize for what happened. She knew he’d always be there for her, especially if—stars forbid—Padmé had not survived the imperial takeover.

             The starlines dissolved, flinging her ship directly in front of the galaxy’s capital.

             But as she neared the city, her old transporter had started to malfunction.

             The last thing she remembered was crash-landing her ship before her head violently collided with the control panel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, what did you guys think? We finally know who she really is :)!   
> Also, if you go back and read the two previous Vader scenes, they now have a whole new meaning. 
> 
> Also, I made this timeline of Elena's life:
> 
> 27 BBY- Elena is born on Naboo. Padme still serves as queen.
> 
> 25 BBY- Elena’s parents pass away in a ship crash. Elena is 2. Padme, in her last year as queen, elects to adopt Elena since they were so close.
> 
> 23 BBY- Elena’s Force sensitivity is discovered and she is taken to the Jedi temple on Coruscant to train as a Jedi. Padme has served as a senator for almost a year.
> 
> 22 BBY- Events of Episode 2 take place. Elena is 5 years old. For the next three years, Elena and Padme see each other on and off with the help of Anakin.
> 
> 19 BBY- Events of Episode 3. Elena is 8 years old when Order 66 happens. Kanan rescues her from Coruscant, he’s 14.
> 
> 15 BBY- The Empire finds Thrawn in “exile.” Thrawn is 21 years old. (I came up with his age and date found, and they most likely do not match up with canon.)
> 
> 12 BBY- Elena leaves for Coruscant in hopes of finding Padme. Instead, her ship crashes on the surface and she loses her memories from the concussion. She is 15 years old.
> 
> 3-2 BBY- Thrawn is promoted to Grand Admiral. He is 33-34 years old. Elena graduates from Royal Imperial and becomes Thrawn’s aide. She is 25 (maybe turning 26 soon).
> 
> Ok, what did you guys think of the Rebels finale? 
> 
> \--SPOILERS BELOW--
> 
> Personally, I really liked it. I'm also glad they didn't kill Thrawn and Ezra off...but the space whales? I really don't know how I feel about it. Where do you guys think they ended up?   
> Also, Kanan and Hera had a baby :') <3  
> And I am so excited for the Sabine and Ahsoka team up!
> 
> \--End Spoilers--
> 
> If you want, please let me know your honest opinion about how Rebels ended. I'm trying to brainstorm ideas for Part 2 of this story (which will include season 4), but I'm thinking about really changing some stuff.
> 
> Ok, ONE more chapter until Part 1 is concluded :) It will be titled "Specter of the Future" and I still have a bit of drafting to do until I can post it (so it may be a week or two before you can read it). 
> 
> Thank you all so much for your kudos, comments, and support <3


	27. Specter of the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thrawn leads a ground attack on the rebel base while Kanan does what he can to keep Elena safe. Meanwhile, Kallus makes an offer to Governor Pryce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow has it been a while!  
> I'm sorry that's this chapter is 2 months late (school/work/life have been insane these past two months). 
> 
> Here is the last chapter of Part 1 :) Hope you guys enjoy.

                 With shaking hands, Hera watched in horror as dozens of green, imperial lasers rained down on the base’s shield. Smoke curled up into the air from the shield’s generator, and every reverberating boom from the lasers’ impact brought the rebels closer and closer to impending annihilation.

                 Unwilling to show cowardice, Hera turned her eyes toward what was left of the sky. Somewhere beyond those clouds, Thrawn was smirking down at her. She could almost feel his blood-hungry eyes boring into hers, declaring victory.

                 The generator groaned, choking out more smoke; but still she held her gaze towards the clouds above. It wasn’t until the shield started to glow red—indicating that it had almost reached its limits—that she tore her gaze away, flinching as if someone were about to strike her. But as soon as she began to fear the worst, the blinding flashes of red and green abruptly stopped, and silence filled the air.

                 She opened her eyes, mouth still agape as the shield returned to its normal soft, blue glow. It held, but only because Thrawn stopped his barrage before it could overheat, which could only mean…

 _He only wanted to intimidate us_ , Hera thought with an uneasy mix of relief and dread.

                 Immediately, she snatched up her comm. Kanan was still out there, and unless he found shelter out in Atollon’s wilderness, he would have been at the mercy of Thrawn’s bombardment.

                 “Kanan?” she asked with a nervous shake in her voice. “Kanan…do you copy?”

                 She could hear every beat of her heart as a few tense seconds passed. Finally, a small squeal sounded from the comm, and his voice came through: “I’m getting the feeling Thrawn’s _actually_ trying to kill us this time.”

                 Hera sighed with relief. “Oh, that is only funny because you’re still alive…Now please, come home love!”

                 “Don’t worry, I’m closer than you think,” he replied. The sound of an approaching motor turned Hera’s attention to the right, where Kanan passed through the shield on his speeder.

                 “Kanan!” She ran over towards him as he skidded the bike to a stop. After he dismounted, he lifted an unconscious girl into his arms, and Hera’s jaw nearly dropped in disbelief.

                 “You _found_ her?” she raised her brows. “What happened?”

                 “It’s a long story,” he shook his head. “Are you alright? Those lasers nearly took us out on the way back.”

                 “We’re ok. The shield was able to hold.” Hera glanced back down at Elena, who was covered head to toe in Atollon’s dust. Her face looked deathly pale. “Kanan, what _happened?_ Where did you find her?”

                 “Out in the wilderness while I was looking for help.”

                 “And how did that go? Did your friend agree to help?”

                 “Oh don’t worry…I think he’s coming,” Kanan answered uneasily as he glanced behind him. Hera crinkled her brow at his strange response, but before she could ask for more details, he turned back to her and asked, “Any word from Ezra?”

                 She shook her head, “Not yet. We’ll have to keep our defenses up until we hear back from him.”

                 “That’s what I was afraid of…” He frowned, dropping his masked gaze towards to Elena before bringing it back up to Hera. “Well until then, I need somewhere to set her down.”

                 “There isn’t really anywhere to put her other than onboard one of the ships…” she said, glancing around the base. “And that could be too dangerous.”

                 “Well, that seems to be our only option,” Kanan replied. “Look…you’re not going to like this, but—“

                 “No,” she cut in. “Absolutely not.”

                 “Hera—“

                 “If she wakes up and steals _my_ ship—“

                 “She won’t!”

                 “And how do you know she won’t?!”

                 “We can restrain her,” he offered. “And lock her in a room.”

                 “Oh yeah, let’s not forget how well _that_ worked out…” she grimaced, remembering her escape off the prison ship. “And _why_ the _Ghost_?!”

                 “Because if any ship is going to make it out of here today, it’ll be yours,” Kanan asserted. “She’ll be the safest on the _Ghost_.”

                 “Kanan, I’m sorry, but—“

                 “Hera…please.” His words came out quiet and strained, causing an unsettling tug in Hera’s chest. “Please… I can’t lose her again. She’s the only family from the Jedi Order I have left.”

                 Hera frowned, her anger slowly dissipating at the sight of Kanan’s distress. Losing family was nothing new to her. It was an awful pain, the type that stuck around even after time had dulled its sharp edges. She couldn’t imagine what elation he must be feeling at having her back after all those years, despite her running from him and her ties to the Empire. She took a deep breath and exhaled, “Alright, you can put her on the _Ghost_. But you _must_ restrain her. And put her in a room you think she won’t be able to escape from.”

                 “Thank you, Hera,” he said softly.

                 She lovingly placed a hand on his arm, wishing she could do more to help the situation. But a sharp squeal from her commlink wrenched her attention away, and General Dodonna’s voice sounded through: “Captain,” he said. “You’re needed over at the holoport. We believe the imperials might be planning a ground assault.”

                 “Be right there,” Hera answered.

                 “I’ll tell you everything once all of this is over,” Kanan said as he turned away and ran towards the _Ghost_.

                 Hera watched him thoughtfully before making her way over to the holoport.

~ ▪ ~

                 Silence settled over the bridge of the _Chimaera_ as Thrawn and the imperials assessed what damages the bombardment had caused. If the rebels had not been afraid before, they surely would be now. Kallus eavesdropped from behind, still bloodied and bruised from his earlier encounter with Thrawn. He grimaced as the two stormtroopers restraining his arms tightened their iron grip, but the pain barely registered. It, along with the humiliation of being gawked at by his former colleagues, dwarfed in comparison to the frustration and anger rushing through him.

                 Thrawn was right—even if Kallus were to reveal the admiral’s secret right there in front of everyone, no one would believe him. They would just dismiss his accusations as a desperate attempt to save himself. He felt defeated, having his credibility stripped from him. So he remained silent as he knelt, knowing a secret that any cutthroat, ladder-climbing imperial would pay an insurmountable amount of credits for—a weakness of the imperious Grand Admiral Thrawn.

                 "Governor Pryce," Thrawn turned, "You're in command of the fleet while I lead the ground assault."

                 A soft, venomous chuckle escaped Kallus’s lips, his mind and patience on edge. His arms burned as the troopers tightened their grip.

                 Thrawn turned, narrowing his glare. "The plight of your friends…amuses you?"

                 "I've been in your position before," Kallus said, "Only to have these rebels pull a victory from certain defeat."

                 "You and I are not the same, Kallus, as these rebels are about to learn.” The red of his eyes only amplified his malicious scowl. He turned and walked calmly away as if Kallus were no more threatening than an insect.

                 He wasn’t three steps away from the bridge’s door when Kallus’s mouth got the better of him. “Perhaps you’re wrong, Grand Admiral.” The troopers’ grip clenched his arms even harder. “Perhaps we are more the same than you realize. Keeping secrets can do that to people.”

                 Thrawn offered him nothing more than an unamused glare before turning and walking away.

~ ▪ ~

                 “I’m sorry, Elena,” Kanan said as he cuffed both her hands to a metal bar running along the edge of his bed. Her lightsaber still clung tightly to her grip, and he took extra care to point the blade’s end away from her just in case she were to wake up, panic, and accidently set it off.  

                 He had done his best to hide the saber from Hera’s view, knowing full well she wouldn’t have let Elena stay on the _Ghost_ with a weapon.

                 No matter how hard he had tried to pry her fingers off, she held on to the saber as if it were a part of her body. Eventually he gave up, afraid that he might hurt her if he pried too hard.

 _It must have triggered her into having a Force vision_ , he thought. It would explain her unconsciousness, and why her lightsaber stayed cemented to her grasp. He himself was no stranger to Force visions. During his padawan days, Master Billaba often received visions during meditation that she would pass on to him. And almost two years ago, he had helped Ezra understand and navigate his own visions.

                 But despite what she might be seeing—be it past or future—he wished she would just wake up. He had too many burning questions to ask her.

                 “Why didn’t you recognize me?” he quietly asked. “What happened to you?”

                 He thought back to the cave, how strange and distant her feelings had felt towards him. Her anger had not come from bitter feelings leftover from their last fight; it had come from fear. It was almost as if he were a complete stranger.

                 He wished very badly that he could see her face, wondering if she still looked the same, or if ten years had changed her dramatically.

                 A squeal from his commlink wrenched his thoughts away. “Kanan,” Zeb said. “Hera says you’re needed over at the command port. Thrawn’s sending down ground troops, and we could really use your help.”

                 “On my way.” He stowed the comm away and was almost out the door when he paused one more time and turned back towards Elena. After convincing himself for the millionth time that she would be ok, he shut the door behind him and locked it with a code pad.

~ ▪ ~

                 Peering through his binoculars from the safety of his transport ship, Thrawn made note of the terrain stretched out before him. The western side proved to be a weak point of the base with a clear path offering almost no natural protection. Only the rebels’ shield guarded the base from his forces, and now was his chance to test whether it was physically penetrable or not.

                 “Sir, I’ve stationed the five AT-DPs in front, as you requested,” said one of his stormtroopers.

                 Thrawn lowered his binoculars. “Excellent, commander. Set them all to autopilot, and have them walk towards the shield on my command.”

                 “Autopilot, sir?” he asked with respectful confusion.

                 “Yes, commander.” Thrawn kept his tone calm and neutral, despite his growing irritation at being questioned. “No one is to board those walkers, as they will only be used to scope out any rebel defenses and to test whether the shield is penetrable or not. Manning the walkers will only result in the deaths of those inside.” Wasted lives, and thus, wasted imperial assets.

                 “Understood,” he said before returning to his post.

                 Once Thrawn gave his command, the five empty walkers stepped in unison towards the base. Aside from their stomping, an eerie quiet had settled over, dust leftover from his orbital bombardment still swirling high above. Not a few minutes later, bombs sounded off in the distance, just as he suspected. All five AT-DPs went down, but not before one of them successfully crossed through the shield as if it were nothing.

                 “They’ve revealed their meager defenses,” Thrawn said as he lowered his binoculars. “Now, we will crush them…” Waiting just behind where the AT-DPs had stood were four manned AT-ATs awaited his orders. With the path now clear of bombs, they would have no issue penetrating the shield and making their way towards the base. “Mark enemy mines and firing positions,” Thrawn commanded. “Heavy battalions, advance.”

                 Once the four walkers passed through the shield, an all-out skirmish forced the rebels out of hiding. TIE fighters from above the shield engaged with enemy ships, and the walkers opened fire on all that stood in their way.

                 Thrawn took the chaos as an opportunity to move closer, landing his transporter just outside the base’s entrance. As he stalked down the ship’s ramp, several death troopers guarded him from all sides, hoisting up their guns and watching out for any rebel snipers.  

                 With a voice as calm as iced-over steel, he spoke into his comm, “Armored division, hold your position and destroy any rebel ships that attempt to flee. Debark all ground troops and storm the base. And, if possible, _capture_ the rebel officers.”

~ ▪ ~

                 “Governor, we have ships approaching!”

                 Kallus whipped his head up. The young officer who gave the warning jerked his head around to face a now irritated Governor Pryce.

                 He couldn’t help but smirk. As soon as Thrawn left, she took his place at the front of the bridge and spent what time had passed standing around trying to look as important as possible…almost as if she were the smartest person on board and maintaining their blockade would not be possible without her. But now that she was being faced with a real threat, Kallus could see her pompous demeanor waver ever so slightly.

                 “Rebel reinforcements?” she asked.

                 “Mandalorian by the look of them.”

                 “Sabine Wren…” she growled. “Send fighters to intercept. And move our capital ships to reinforce them.”

                 As the fight played out before them, Kallus glared at Pryce from behind, loathing that conceited, austere way she held herself. She was, by every definition, the physical embodiment of imperial arrogance. The only thing that separated her from all the others were her Outer Rim roots, which only made it far more tragic. Though she had the dark hair and bright blue eyes, her skin had paled long ago from time spent inside imperial government buildings rather than with her people under the Lothalian sun. She even changed her accent overtime to further differentiate herself. But Kallus could hear how forced and exaggerated her faux Core accent sounded. She abandoned her people in order to climb the Empire’s political ladder, cutting down all who stood in her way.

                …And that was exactly the sort of person Kallus needed to take his place in bringing Thrawn down.

                He smirked, the gears in his head already turning as he formed his words carefully.

                “It must be nice, Governor,” he said in a clear, steady voice, “To have such power at your fingertips.”

                She half-turned her head, returning his words with only an icy blue glare.

                “Though,” he continued. “I can’t help but think you want more…”

                She chuckled softly and turned to him. “Already bribing me to try and save your own skin?” Her smile promised malice. “You truly are pathetic.”

                “Not a bribe,” he answered, “But an offer.”

                She scoffed and turned back towards the skirmish outside, which was slowly making its way towards the remaining Interdictor.

                “I’ll say no more,” Kallus said, “But you may find it in your best interest to check the desk inside my sleeping quarters. There is a datachip you would find most interesting insi—“

                “Enough,” she barked. A sharp punch from the leftmost stormtrooper connected with his side, knocking the wind out of him. “ _You_ will remain silent for the remainder of this operation.”

                As Kallus struggled to intake a breath, he shot her the nastiest look he could make.

~ ▪ ~

                “There’s nothing more we can do, Hera,” Kanan said as he, Zeb, and Rex made it to the holoport. “Thrawn’s forces completely overran us. We need to escape.”

                “I know,” she answered as more and more gunfire drew near. “Everyone we have left is already on board their ships—“

                "Phoenix leader?!" Ezra’s voice crackled from the comm. "Do you read me?"

                "Ezra?!"

                "I brought help thanks to Sabine. We're taking out that Interdictor."

                "Ok, this might be our only chance," said Kanan. "Let's move!"

                He, along with Hera, Zeb, Rex, and AP-5 sprinted as fast as they could towards the _Ghost_. Danger surrounded them from all sides, but it wasn’t just the imperials. Kanan could sense Bendu’s approaching storm, and he knew the angry Force-being wouldn’t be taking any prisoners.

                But as they neared the ship, a violent explosion went off nearby, and everyone stopped dead in their tracks.

                "There goes our shield!" Zeb yelled.

                All hell rained down on the base. The roar of TIE fighters filled Kanan’s ears as they infested the area, shooting down at all their ships and supplies. He could feel massive losses on both sides ripple out through the Force as ship after ship exploded in a rain of gunfire.

                But the _Ghost_ still stood. They were only a mere few steps away.

                As badly as Kanan wanted to press on, he stopped, sensing the hostile presences of deathtroopers surrounded him and the others on all sides. The air hung heavy with smoke and debris, and a haunting quiet settled over as the sounds of gunfire and blaster shots began to cease.

                "And now, Captain Syndulla," said a suave and unsettling voice from somewhere in the smoke, "I will now accept your former surrender. Or, you will watch as your friends perish, one by one. Beginning with the Jedi."

                Kanan grit his teeth, recognizing that eerily calm and arrogant presence as Thrawn. To his left, Hera remained silent, determined to hold her ground even in the face of defeat.

                “I require an answer, Captain,” the admiral growled as he took a step closer.

                “You already know my answer,” Kanan heard Hera snarl back. But something beyond Thrawn and his ring of death troopers caught his attention, and he turned his head to the right, towards the _Ghost._

                The muscles in his shoulders relaxed as he took in a breath, and his lips parted in surprised as he turned to face the ship.

                At the top of the ramp, with her lightsaber firmly grasped in her hand, stood Elena.

                A channel of emotions traveled between the two, the Force allowing him to see what his eyes could not. No longer did she harbor the fearful, cold indifference he had sensed back at the cave. Instead, recognition flickered in her heart along with a strain of a half dozen tangled emotions. It felt as though she had awoken from a deep, decade-long sleep and the first person she wanted to see was him.

                The little youngling girl whose life he had saved had finally returned.

                Thrawn must have seen her too, because the words Kanan heard next were laced with icy venom. “And, I will also be taking my officer’s aide back.”

                He grimaced beneath his mask, ignited his lightsaber in reply. “Stay on the ship, Elena!” he yelled. The sound of several fingers readying their blasters alerted Kanan that most of the guns were now aimed at him. For the briefest of seconds, he felt a sharp stab of anger and hatred erupt from Thrawn. Interesting more than anything, since it was probably the most emotion Kanan had ever felt coming from the imperial admiral. But what truly came as an unwelcome surprise were the feelings he could now sense emanating from Elena—feelings towards Thrawn, and Kanan did not like it one bit.

                With anger still boiling beneath the surface, Thrawn took one more step closer before a clap of thunder shook the base. Kanan lifted his head, gripping his lightsaber tightly as the winds started to pick up.

                "Do you fear the storm, Master Jedi?" Thrawn mocked.

                "Yeah," Kanan answered, burying his anger as best as he could. "And you should too."

                Force lightning struck a nearby ship as the sky continued to darken, causing everyone—imperial and rebel—to turned around and face the violent, fast approaching tempest.

                "Elena, get back in the ship!” Kanan yelled.

                "What Jedi devilry is this?" Thrawn grimaced.

                "I am the Bendu," a thundering voice said from the sky. Two large, orange holes opened up against the clouds, mimicking a pair of infuriated, blazing eyes.

                "What _is_ that?" Zeb yelled.

                "Uh, Kanan?" Hera said over the bellowing winds.

                Kanan steadied his saber, trying not to lose his balance in the wind. "I told you my friend was coming!”

                "I bring death!" the Bendu yelled as he shot more lightning down on the base. He spared neither rebel nor imperial, taking down two AT-AT’s and several abandoned rebel ships. "Leave this place!" he commanded, his two orange eyes still glowering overhead. "I am the light! I am the dark! I am the _Bendu_!”

                "You heard him!" Kanan said. "Make for the ship!”

                “Thrawn!”

                Kanan turned his head, sensing Elena’s movements as she started sprinting down the ramp. And to his left, he sensed Thrawn sprinting his way over towards her. Without a second thought, Kanan brought up both his hands—one palm aimed at Elena and the other at Thrawn—and with just enough strength, Force-pushed them both. Elena flew further back into the _Ghost_ , and he made sure to fling Thrawn as far away as he could.

                With everyone inside, Kanan shut the ramp behind him and sprinted straight to the cockpit with Hera, who, seconds later, had them hurtling straight towards the stratosphere. As she concentrated on flying, he allowed himself only a brief second to make sure Elena was still on board. He breathed a sigh of relief once he felt her presence from somewhere near the back of the ship. With Elena stuck on board with no escape, he could now keep his attention focused solely on copiloting for Hera.

                "Kanan Jarrus, Jedi Knight!" The Bendu pelted the ship with enough lightning to wobble it out of line, but Hera kept a firm hand on the controls.

                " _This_ is your _friend?_ " she yelled.

                "Ehh…I might have made him angry.”

                " _Yeah_ ," Hera feistily replied, "I can relate!"

                They broke through the clouds, leaving the storm and Thrawn’s clutches behind them. But as soon as they left the planet’s atmosphere and entered the dark void of space, it wasn’t long until they heard the roar of TIE fighters hot on their trail.

~ ▪ ~

                Once Thrawn picked himself off the ground, he immediately dispatched four TIE fighters after the _Ghost_ with strict orders to not destroy, but disable. Losing Elena again would not be an option, nor would he allow his enemies to so easily slip through his fingers.

                He watched the TIEs broke through the livid, orange and black clouds. While they were in pursuit, he would remain on the base to deal with the storm, knowing full well there would be no escape for his slower ships until it was gone.

                "Leave this place!" the storm bellowed again. Lightning crackled, destroying more rebel ships and supplies. Thrawn glared up at the two eyes within the clouds. There were very few things he had seen throughout his years of military service that could rival the anomaly that was this storm, no doubt something related to the Force.

                "Concentrate fire on the center of the storm!" he commanded his troops.

                All fire began to converge towards the center of the eyes. It took minutes of continuous pummeling, but eventually the storm began to dissipate, and a gargantuan form fell from the sky like a flaming comet.

                “Sir!” Thrawn tore his eyes away from the massive falling object as a stormtrooper jogged towards him. “I regret to inform that all of our transport ships were destroyed by the lightning. Should I contact the _Chimaera’s_ hangar to send more?”

                “Yes, commander,” Thrawn answered, trying not to let his irritation show. “I will also require information on what is happening above the planet, more specifically what is happening with the _Ghost_. Make sure to communicate to all Star Destroyers that I want that ship and its crew captured _alive_.”

                “Yes, sir.” The trooper sped off, and Thrawn returned his gaze back to the horizon.

                A muscle worked in his jaw. With he and his troops completely grounded until new transporters could arrive, there was absolutely nothing more he could do to help Elena. He would have to rely on the TIEs he had dispatched, as well as the competence of all the other officers above.

                Until then, he would turn his attention towards the distance, and investigate what exactly he had blown out of the sky.

~ ▪ ~

                Watching Governor Pryce try and command an entire fleet of Star Destroyers was both—in Kallus’s opinion—oddly entertaining and satisfying. Entertaining, because it was painfully obvious the woman had no clue what she was doing. And satisfying because watching her squirm and become increasingly angry at a bunch of flustered ensigns was everything Kallus could have wished for.

                “Governor, the enemy fighters have deployed a strike team onto the hull of our Interdictor!”

                “Well, _repel_ them!” she snapped. “We will not lose to this rabble.”

                But no matter what commands she barked, without proper guidance her fleet of imperial might could do nothing to stop the band of rebels from sabotaging the ship. And after a mere few minutes, a massive explosion shook the _Chimaera_ , and the last remaining Interdictor was gone.

                “Governor! We have a problem!” Every paled-face imperial on the bridge turned back to look at her, which only made her flounder even more.

                “I-I don’t want to hear it!” she yelled. “Just, stop them! Nothing gets through!”

                “Thrawn’s not going to be happy with you making a _mess_ of his fleet,” Kallus mocked.

                “Throw this _traitor_ out the airlock,” she growled.

                As the stormtroopers yanked him around and led him off the bridge, he made sure she heard his last words before the door closed behind him: “Don’t forget my offer, Governor. I think you will find it most beneficial if you happen to fall out of good graces with the admiral.”

                The troopers shoved him all the way to a lift at the end of the hall. He feigned helplessness, determined to put on a convincing show for his captors. But as soon as the lift doors shut, he knocked the wind out of both of them, unbound his hands, and beat them into unconsciousness.

                Now all he needed was to find an escape pod.

~ ▪ ~

                “Hera, we took out the Interdictor,” Ezra said through the _Ghost’s_ comm, “You’re all clear.”

                “That’s the first good news I’ve gotten today,” Hera said as she swerved away from a TIE’s line of fire.

                “Meet me at Point 8-7, we’ll lead the way.”

                “As soon as we’re rid of these TIEs, we’ll be right there,” Hera replied as she turned the _Ghost_ again so Zeb could get an easier shot.

                “Alright Zeb, there should be one coming up on your left,” Kanan said.

                “Got it!” Hera heard him yell through the comm. She managed to shoot down one of her own, but not before noticing the enemy’s strange behavior. “They keep aiming for the wings.” She fired more shots, grimacing as she missed another TIE to her right. “Why?”

                “He doesn’t want to kill us,” Kanan said. “I think he wants to take everyone on this ship alive.”

                “Not on my watch,” Hera grumbled. “Zeb, how many TIEs are left?”

                “Two,” he replied. “I’m—damn it! I’m fighting one back here. And I think there’s one—“

               “Coming up on your left side!” Kanan said. “I can sense it.”

               One careful shot sent the TIE sputtering out before it blew apart. “Got it!” Hera smiled.

               A long string of curses from Zeb told her they still weren’t out of the fray just yet.

               Hera carefully navigated through a field of imperial fire, trying her best to give Zeb a clear shot. “Wait, we’re…receiving an incoming transmission?” With one hand on the steering, she activated a switch on the Ghost’s dashboard, and the Fulcrum symbol materialized before her.

               “Who is it?” Kanan asked.

               “It’s Kallus!” She exclaimed, honestly shocked that he was still alive. “He’s sending coordinates.” Still trying to throw the TIE fighter off her trail, she checked one of the ship’s screens and noticed a small dot not too far from their location.

               “There’s an escape pod on my scope.” She veered the Ghost past two nearby rebel ships, who were busy running from their own TIE fighters, and barely dodged a line of Star Destroyer fire. Finally she saw the small pod floating out in the void, and scooped it up into the Ghost’s underside.

               “Got him!”

               “Hera, that TIE is coming up on your right,” Kanan warned.

               “Gotcha,” she said. “Zeb, I’ll take care of this one. Can you go get Kallus and make sure he’s alright?”

               “Copy that,” he replied.

               Not a few minutes later, she finally blew the TIE to pieces and began making her way towards the rendezvous point, where she could see Ezra and Sabine’s ship waiting for them. 

~ ▪ ~

               Elena muffled her heavy, nervous breathing as best as she could from her hiding spot in the Ghost’s cargo hold. Voices traveled down a nearby hall, and she shrunk into a crouch against a couple of shipping crates when she felt their presences grow near.

               “When we saw your message got cut off, we feared the worst,” said a gruff voice she could only guess belonged to the Lasat rebel.

               “I was beginning to fear the worst myself…”

               She nearly doubled over trying to stifle her gasp.

_Kallus?! Here?_

               She wanted nothing more than to skewer him with her lightsaber, but instead she kept quiet and stayed hidden behind the crates.

               “How’d you manage to steal an escape pod? Did nobody see you?” She held her breath as the two finally stepped into the cargo hold and continued their walk straight ahead.

               “It’s…quite the tale…” Kallus answered.

               As soon as she heard a door towards the front of the room shut behind them, she waited a few seconds and then silently sprinted down the hallway they had come from, the words “escape pod” ringing in her head.

               Once she found it, she clicked the door shut and settled into the pod’s seat. A small window offered her a view of the chaos outside as well as a massive, brilliant smoke plume that could only have been a Star Destroyer. Her heart clenched. There were no Interdictor cruisers to be seen, and even her now-muddled mind would know that Thrawn would not have attempted the destruction of a rebel base without bringing at least one. She could feel the _Ghost_ settling into a straight and even path, aligning itself with nearby rebel ships.

               They were lining up for their escape into hyperspace.

               Her finger hovered over the detach button, but something within her chaotic mind kept her from pushing.

               Up until that point, her mind had been completely on autopilot and her only goal had been to escape and return to Thrawn. But with the unrelenting deluge of memories had come feelings she had not known or felt in a decade; and she could not keep up with all the swirl of emotions and thoughts. It felt as if she were holding a flood at bay—a flood she was nowhere near ready to face just yet.

               The last thing she wanted to do was leave Kanan again, especially now. She had one hand on the escape hatch, wanting nothing more than to run back to him.

               But if she stayed, she may very well never see Thrawn again.

               Tears welled up in her eyes as she made one of the hardest decisions she had ever had to make in her life. One day she would tell Kanan everything. She would tell him how much she still loved him, and how she had crashed her ship and lost her memories. She would tell him what she had done for the past ten years, and tell him how sorry she was for how she acted back in the cave…and for leaving again.

               Perhaps that day would come soon—it was all she could hope for.

               But today would not be that day.

               Slowly, she pulled her hand away from the hatch. She could feel the ship slowing down, preparing itself for the jump.

               She focused all she could on reaching out with her mind, immediately feeling the brush of Kanan’s presence from somewhere within the ship. She hoped with all of her heart that he would make sense of all the feelings she channeled towards him, hoped that he would understand her choice. Finally she closed her eyes, and as calmly and clearly as she could, delivered one final message:

_We’ll see each other again, I promise._

               As the pod detached from the _Ghost_ , she watched with a heavy heart as the ship receded further and further away until it finally stopped. Not a second later it vanished into hyperspeed, leaving her pod gently somersaulting alone in the vast, empty vacuum of space. 

~ ▪ ~

               There were very few things in the galaxy that could make Arihnda Pryce truly afraid. But as she stood at the center of the _Chimaera’s_ bridge surrounded by nothing but deadly silence, she began to feel the tendrils of fear snaking around her heart.

               “The remaining rebel ships have jumped to hyperspace…” said a very reluctant officer from below.

 _How will I ever explain this to Thrawn_ … she thought as she gazed uneasily out at the destruction outside.

               She couldn’t help that the incompetent fools operating the bridge had failed to follow her instructions. Yet despite their idiocy, _she_ would be punished in the end for their failures.

               “Governor, there’s an imperial escape pod trying to contact us!”

               “What is it saying?” she absentmindedly growled.

               “Something’s coming through…an imperial code…” His eyes raced over the information flashing across the screen, and he turned in surprise. “It’s…Commander Rizzo!”

               “What?!” Her heart shot up into her throat. “Send out a transport and retrieve her immediately!” Maybe Thrawn wouldn’t be too angry with her in the end if she rescued his missing officer’s aide. She silently thanked Commander Rizzo for unknowingly saving her skin.

               Still, she closed her eyes, knowing full well that she had failed sustaining the blockade and in losing Kallus…

               Kallus, whose words still danced around in her head and filled her with curiosity.

_You may find it in your best interest to check the desk inside my sleeping quarters. There is a datachip you would find most interesting inside…_

               A datachip he claimed could help her gain more power and influence. And judging by his other comments, may have something to do with Thrawn.

               She was so deep in thought that she nearly jumped when a bridge officer informed her that Commander Rizzo had made it safely on board.

               “Excellent,” she said, regaining her composure. “See to it that the Grand Admiral is informed of this immediately.”

               “Yes, Governor.”

               In the meantime, Pryce returned her gaze to the aftermath outside as Kallus’s words continued to play over and over in her head.

~ ▪ ~

               “Sir, the Chimaera reports that Commander Rizzo has been safely secured. She was found in an escape pod that had ejected from one of the rebel ships.”

               Thrawn raised a brow as he listened to the death trooper’s report. Though the method of her rescue was quite unexpected, the news certainly wasn’t unwelcome. In fact, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders and a shimmer of joy and satisfaction at knowing she was finally back where she belonged. “Excellent. Thank you, Lieutenant.”

               He and a handful of his death troopers continued their search. Not a few minutes later, they finally stumbled upon a crater, and in the middle lay a massive, beast-like being.

               Thrawn slowly approached the creature. Its eyes were a bright milky white, and behind them seemed to lurk a haunting, ancient intelligence Thrawn found both fascinating and terrifying.

               All four death troopers kept their guns aimed and ready as he continued his approach. He knit his brows together, showing more worry and bewilderment than he would ever allow another adversary to see. "What manner of creature are you?"

               "One, beyond your power to destroy," the great beast replied.

               Thrawn lifted his blaster, hardening his gaze. "It would not seem so.”

               Something changed within the creature’s murky eyes. A flash of surprise, as if it had just seen or realized something. "How fitting…that on the same day, one had learned of her past; and the other, his future."

               Thrawn’s lips nearly parted in surprise, and he found himself unable to form a reply.

               "You cannot see," the beast wrinkled its brow. "But _I_ can."

               Thrawn mirrored the creature’s intense gaze with his own. "What?" he asked, keeping his blaster aimed and steady, "What do you see?"

               "I see your defeat," it answered. "Like many arms surrounding you in a cold embrace."

               An invisible chill ran up Thrawn’s spine as he pulled the trigger. But his shot never found the beast’s forehead. It had vanished before his very eyes, leaving nothing behind except for a deep, sinister laugh that enclosed him on all sides.

~ ▪ ~

               “I would suggest a second hyperspace jump _before_ heading to Yavin.”

               “If we want to cover our tracks, we should make it three.”

               Kanan glumly half-listened to Rex and AP-5 navigate their journey to Yavin from outside the cockpit. Just a few feet away to his left, Hera was locked in a holo-discussion with Sabine’s mother, thanking her for her aide with the Interdictor. Voices traveling down the hallways told him that Ezra’s ship had attached to the _Ghost_ , and he—along with Sabine and a what survivors they had left—had finished disembarking.

               He sauntered down the hallway into the cargo hold, and then eventually down another corridor where Kallus’s escape pod should have been.

               He thought back to how he had jumped out of his seat in panic not one second into their hyperspace jump. Hera had called out after him as he barreled through the _Ghost_ to where he had felt her presence. Now she was gone again, and he was only now trying to make sense of all that had happened.

               Only a few hours ago she had seen him as nothing more than a random enemy rebel. But now…

 _It must have been the lightsaber—the Force vision—that brought her back,_ he thought. _But…what had caused her to forget in the first place?_

               Despite all of his burning questions, there was still one thing that had brought him a small sense of peace for the future. At the very last minute, he had felt the smallest brush against his mind. A string of abstract emotions, and laced within that tangled web had been a message:

_We’ll see each other again, I promise._

               “Kanan?”

               He whirled around, having been too lost in thought to notice Ezra’s presence slowly making his way down the hallway.

               “Hera told me about Elena…I’m so sorry.”

               Concern swirled within his padawan. Concern that Elena’s escape would cause Kanan to clam up and distance himself again, just like he had done after losing his eyesight. But he would never allow himself such weakness ever again. “There’s no need to worry yourself,” he said before changing the subject. “I’m just glad that you and Sabine made it out ok.”

               “How did she escape?” Ezra asked. “Hera said you restrained her.”

               “Uh, Kanan?”

               Kanan and Ezra turned as Zeb made his way down the hall, chuckling under his breath as he carried a hastily cut-out metal oval that had once been Kanan’s bedroom door.

               Ezra laughed. “Kanan, is that your…door?”

               “My door?!” He groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Oh damn it…”

               “Wait…you locked this chick up with a _lightsaber_?” Zeb raised his brows. “What, did you have an extra one in your room none of us knew about?”

               “It’s a long story…Look, just…hide it. And hurry, before Hera sees it.”

               “You _do_ know she’s going to find out eventually,” Ezra grinned as Zeb took off down the hall.

               “Well…at least this will buy me some time before the inevitable happens,” Kanan lightheartedly said.

               The two made their way out of the hallway and cargo hold, Kanan asking Ezra for details about his and Sabine’s mission. Eventually Ezra stopped in front of one of the _Ghost’s_ back windows, where he blankly stared out at the stars while disappointment took root in his chest.

               “You and Sabine really saved the day,” Kanan said, acutely aware of his padawan’s growing mood.

               Ezra sighed. “Kanan, we lost everything…”

               “I understand you feel defeated,” Kanan said. “But, there’s still a future for us. One where we’re all free.” Ezra turned his head to look at Kanan, his mood beginning to lighten. “And it’s up to us to make it happen.”

               For a minute, the two just stared out of the window at the galaxy beyond. Though Kanan could not see it, he could feel the Force surrounding and binding all that stretched out before them. And somewhere out there within its interconnecting web of energy was Elena.

               “I hope you find her again, Kanan.”

               He turned towards Ezra, his mind replaying her final message to him over and over before turning his eyes back towards the galaxy.

               “I hope so too.”

~ ▪ ~

               Elena could not gasp in enough air. At some point while waiting for the _Chimaera_ to send a rescue team, the walls of her escape pod had become too confining, and every breath she took felt too short, too suffocating. She couldn’t even choke out the words to tell them how her throat was closing up or how she had made a huge mistake and needed to get back to the _Ghost._

               What if Kanan hadn’t heard her message?

               What if he was angry with her for leaving again?

               Her body burned. Pins and needles prickled her hands and feet while sweat dripped from her forehead and stung her eyes.

               “P-please!” she managed to huff out. But nobody was listening. Nobody cared.

               Her chest and right arm were covered in tubes and wires.

               “Heart rate is too fast.”

               “We need to calm her down.”

               “Hand me the smallest needle we have.”

               She gasped as something sharp stung her arm, and the inside of her skin began to feel cold and wet.

               “Please! I need to get back!” she cried. Wherever she was, the lights were too bright. They were going to burn her eyes right out of her skull. She gasped for more air, and her head spun from vertigo.

               “Easy, Commander. You’re having a panic attack. It will all be over soon.”

               Tears welled in her eyes as she gulped down more breaths. “But what if I never see him again!?” her gasps became less strained, and her vision started to blur. “What if I made a mistake?” Her words trailed off as her body began to relax. Her breaths became longer, more even. She could feel her heart begin to slow down and eyelids become too heavy. And soon…

               Silence.

               Peace.

~ ▪ ~

_That room had been so cold. Almost too cold for her burning, feverish body._

_But it was nowhere near as cold as where Elena stood now: at the entrance of a frozen, icy cave._

_“Come on, Elena!” said a smiling Twi’lek girl as she ran past._

_Elena gasped, recognizing the memory of the day she found her kyber crystal on Ilum. But unlike before, she did not see the memory through the eyes of a child, but as a twenty-five year old woman._

_She watched as more younglings ran past her and disappeared, the ghosts of their laughter echoing off the walls of that ancient, frozen cave._

_She took her first step, the ice crunching loudly beneath her boot, and soon made her way into the cavern’s depths._

_Minutes later a delicate, melodious chime sounded off in the distance. She stopped dead in her tracks, her breath clouding in the cold. Remembering the path, she kept straight as the crystal’s song grew closer and closer._

_Its harmony tugged at her heart, nearly bringing tears to her eyes. There was nothing more beautiful, nothing more perfect in the galaxy than the chime of that crystal. And she followed it through every peril and trial that lay in her path._

_When she found herself nearing the top of an icy cliff, she knew her journey was almost complete. Exactly as she did when she was little, she used the Force to help her climb up the cliff’s rocky surface._

_But as soon as she crawled over the top, she froze._

_The memory had changed. Instead of her crystal, the masked, black-clad monster from her nightmares stood a few feet away. And to her horror, it held her crystal in one of its gloved hands._

_Fear paralyzed her as it continued to stare her down. Nothing except for the monster’s unsettling, mechanical breathing filled the cavern, and the ice itself seemed to shrink away in terror._

_With one swift motion, the creature closed its fist around the crystal, crushing it into tiny shards that slipped between its fingers._

_“NO!” she screeched. With the same hand that destroyed her crystal, the monster reached out, and Elena felt her throat close up as she hovered off the ground._

_“Fear will be your demise,” the creature said in a deep, mechanical voice. With its free hand, it ignited its lightsaber, a blade that bled the deepest red._

_She choked as the monster tightened its grip. “No…”_

_It lifted the saber as it stalked closer and closer to her._

_She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face._

_With no hope for escape, death seemed to simplify everything. With every step the creature took, her choices dwindled until the only options she had left were to either die in fear or die in defiance. She clung to the Force, thinking only of those who gave her strength: Kanan, Padmé, Thrawn. Her last few seconds alive would be spent with love in her heart, not the fear that this monster wanted._

_And it was in those last few seconds that she heard it: the chime of her kyber crystal; and she realized that none of this was real._

_She opened her eyes. Right as the monster slashed through her with its saber, it disappeared; and she fell to the ground unharmed._

_A gentle song drifted to her ears, and where the monster had stood sat her crystal._

_It shined the brightest purple._

~ ▪ ~

            For what felt like hours, Elena wavered in and out of a groggy daze.

            Mostly she dreamed about some of her more pleasant memories: wandering the Jedi Temple corridors with the other younglings; laughing and smiling as she played with a blue and white astromech and a fussy, golden protocol droid in Padmé’s apartment; feeling that intoxicating rush of adrenaline whenever she and Kanan pulled off another successful job.

            But what had captivated her most had been a face she thought she would never see again.

            The warmth of his hand encapsulated her own, and his ruby red eyes watched over her carefully.

            She hoped to the stars that it wasn’t a dream.

            “I cannot stay long, but I have something for you, my dear,” her delirious mind heard him say. Something cold and metallic circled around her wrist, and his fingers brushed against her skin as he clasped it in place.  

            She gripped his hand again, not wanting him to leave.

            He leaned over and lightly placed a kiss on her forehead. But as he pulled away, he stopped, and spoke gently into her ear: “I love you.”

            She wasn’t sure when exactly he had left, or even if she had answered him. But as she lay there in her groggy delirium, she had never felt quite so happy and light in her entire life.

            And when the medicine finally wore off and she saw Padmé’s bracelet around her wrist, she knew that it had not been a dream.

~ ▪ END PART 1 ▪ ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe Part 1 is over... It was almost a year ago that I started writing this story. Never did I think it would grow into what it is now :)
> 
> I'm happy to say that I will be writing a Part 2 (and possibly more, depending on where the story goes!). Expect Part 2 to be posted around LATE 2018 and I will post it in this same story thread (so if you want to be alerted to when part 2 is posted, I recommend subscribing/bookmarking this story!)
> 
> Here's what to look forward to!  
> 1\. It's looking like the new Thrawn book (Thrawn: Alliances) will take place between Season 3 and 4 of Rebels, so for now that will be where Part 2 begins. Part 2 could also incorporate Season 4, but that will all depend on the new book and what kind of story it will tell.  
> 2\. That was definitely not the end of Elena and Kanan! Expect to see more of them in the future (hopefully they'll meet again soon!)  
> 3\. With her memories back, expect to see Elena search for answers as to what happened to everyone. We might be seeing her make a trip to Naboo in the near future.   
> 4\. Expect for Vader and the Emperor to make a return...  
> 5\. There may be some heavy changes made to Season 4 events. Overall, I didn't really like most of Season 4 (especially the space whales...)  
> 6\. New characters that'll be introduced: Gilad Pellaeon (!!!), Rukh, and maybe a few others!  
> 7\. Lyste and Janali will be in Part 2
> 
> In the meantime, if you guys want to keep up with me on tumblr (levi-ackerwoman-blog), I'll be posting Lost Girl news on there. I'll also post about other projects I'm doing, and I also make Star Wars memes lol
> 
> I can't thank you guys enough for the support <3 Your love, kudos, and comments kept me motivated :)
> 
> Can't wait to see you guys later this year!


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